World

GozNym cyber-crime gang which stole millions busted

May 17, 2019 5:13 am

An international crime gang which used malware to steal $100m (£77m) from more than 40,000 victims has been dismantled.

A complex police operation conducted investigations in the US, Bulgaria, Germany, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

The gang infected computers with GozNym malware, which captured online banking details to access bank accounts.

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The gang was put together from criminals who advertised their skills on online forums.

The details of the operation were revealed at the headquarters of the European police agency Europol in The Hague.

It said that the investigation was unprecedented, especially in terms of cross-border co-operation.

Ten members of the network have been charged in Pittsburgh, US on a range of offences, including stealing money and laundering those funds using US and foreign bank accounts.

Five Russian nationals remain on the run, including one who developed the GozNym malware and oversaw its development and management, including leasing it to other cyber-criminals.