Current:Home > MyAuthorities arrest man allegedly running ‘likely world’s largest ever’ cybercrime botnet -Capital Dream Guides
Authorities arrest man allegedly running ‘likely world’s largest ever’ cybercrime botnet
View
Date:2025-04-12 23:31:09
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! (61)
Related
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- Woman charged with murder in case of Kansas officer killed in shootout with car chase suspect
- Why One Tree Hill's Bethany Joy Lenz Was Terrified Before Sharing Cult Experience
- 'It's aggressive': Gas stations in Indiana town to close overnight due to rise in crimes
- Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
- Woman charged with murder in case of Kansas officer killed in shootout with car chase suspect
- US wildlife managers agree to review the plight of a Western bird linked to piñon forests
- Summer School 6: Operations and 25,000 roses
- Alex Murdaugh’s murder appeal cites biased clerk and prejudicial evidence
- OCD is not that uncommon: Understand the symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder.
Ranking
- US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
- GA indictment poses distinctive perils for Trump, identifying bodies in Maui: 5 Things podcast
- Death toll from devastating Maui fire reaches 106, as county begins identifying victims
- What is a conservatorship? The legal arrangement at the center of Michael Oher's case.
- Tom Holland's New Venture Revealed
- Company asks judge to block Alabama medical marijuana licenses
- Yes, pickleball is a professional sport. Here's how much top players make.
- Got a kid headed to college? Don't forget the power of attorney. Here's why you need it.
Recommendation
Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
The Taliban believe their rule is open-ended and don’t plan to lift the ban on female education
Fall out from Alex Murdaugh saga continues, as friend is sentenced in financial schemes
Dodger fan names daughter after Mookie Betts following home run
Have Dry, Sensitive Skin? You Need To Add These Gentle Skincare Products to Your Routine
Should governments be blamed for climate change? How one lawsuit could change US policies
Leonard Bernstein's Kids Defend Bradley Cooper Amid Criticism Over Prosthetic Nose in Maestro
'Error in judgement:' Mississippi police apologize for detaining 10-year-old