Current:Home > MyAuthorities arrest man allegedly running ‘likely world’s largest ever’ cybercrime botnet -ProgressCapital
Authorities arrest man allegedly running ‘likely world’s largest ever’ cybercrime botnet
View
Date:2025-04-13 01:36:55
WASHINGTON (AP) — An international law enforcement team has arrested a Chinese national and disrupted a major botnet that officials said he ran for nearly a decade, amassing at least $99 million in profits by reselling access to criminals who used it for identity theft, child exploitation, and financial fraud, including pandemic relief scams.
The U.S. Department of Justice quoted FBI Director Christopher Wray as saying Wednesday that the “911 S5” botnet — a network of malware-infected computers in nearly 200 countries — was likely the world’s largest.
Justice said in a news release that Yunhe Wang, 35, was arrested May 24. Wang was arrested in Singapore, and search warrants were executed there and in Thailand, the FBI’s deputy assistant director for cyber operations, Brett Leatherman, said in a LinkedIn post. Authorities also seized $29 million in cryptocurrency, Leatherman said.
Cybercriminals used Wang’s network of zombie residential computers to steal “billions of dollars from financial institutions, credit card issuers and accountholders, and federal lending programs since 2014,” according to an indictment filed in Texas’ eastern district.
The administrator, Wang, sold access to the 19 million Windows computers he hijacked — more than 613,000 in the United States — to criminals who “used that access to commit a staggering array of crimes that victimized children, threatened people’s safety and defrauded financial institutions and federal lending programs,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in announcing the takedown.
He said criminals who purchased access to the zombie network from Wang were responsible for more than $5.9 billion in estimated losses due to fraud against relief programs. Officials estimated 560,000 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims originated from compromised IP addresses.
Wang allegedly managed the botnet through 150 dedicated servers, half of them leased from U.S.-based online service providers.
AP AUDIO: Authorities arrest man allegedly running ‘likely world’s largest ever’ cybercrime botnet
Authorities have arrested a man allegedly running ‘likely world’s largest ever’ cybercrime botnet. AP’s Lisa Dwyer reports.
The indictment says Wang used his illicit gains to purchase 21 properties in the United States, China, Singapore, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and St. Kitts and Nevis, where it said he obtained citizenship through investment.
In its news release, the Justice Department thanked police and other authorities in Singapore and Thailand for their assistance.
veryGood! (5419)
Related
- Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
- Man killed by Connecticut state trooper was having mental health problems, witnesses testify
- Jason Kelce Tearfully Announces His Retirement From NFL After 13 Seasons
- Gun control advocates urge Utah governor to veto bill funding firearms training for teachers
- Hidden Home Gems From Kohl's That Will Give Your Space a Stylish Refresh for Less
- Chris Mortensen, NFL reporter for ESPN, dies at age 72
- 'American Idol' contestant tearfully sings in Albanian after judges FaceTime his mom
- Ohio foundation begins process to distribute millions in opioid settlement money
- USA women's basketball live updates at Olympics: Start time vs Nigeria, how to watch
- NHL trade deadline primer: Team needs, players who could be dealt
Ranking
- Hidden Home Gems From Kohl's That Will Give Your Space a Stylish Refresh for Less
- France becomes the only country in the world to guarantee abortion as a constitutional right
- 'Dune: Part Two' rides great reviews, starry young cast to $81.5 million debut
- Jack Teixeira pleads guilty to leaking hundreds of highly classified Pentagon documents
- 'No Good Deed': Who's the killer in the Netflix comedy? And will there be a Season 2?
- 2024 NFL combine winners, losers: Which players helped or hurt draft stock?
- Richard Lewis remembered in 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' tribute, appears in scene with Larry David
- Man killed by Connecticut state trooper was having mental health problems, witnesses testify
Recommendation
Charges: D'Vontaye Mitchell died after being held down for about 9 minutes
2024 NFL mock draft: Six QBs land in top 16 picks of post-combine shake-up
Photos show humpback whale washed up on Virginia Beach: Officials to examine cause of death
Man killed by Connecticut state trooper was having mental health problems, witnesses testify
A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
Alabama Supreme Court IVF Ruling Renews Focus on Plastics, Chemical Exposure and Infertility
Jack Teixeira pleads guilty to leaking hundreds of highly classified Pentagon documents
Lisa Vanderpump Is Joining Season 2 of Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars