Current:Home > MyBurley Garcia|Authorities arrest man allegedly running ‘likely world’s largest ever’ cybercrime botnet -TradeCircle
Burley Garcia|Authorities arrest man allegedly running ‘likely world’s largest ever’ cybercrime botnet
Ethermac Exchange View
Date:2025-04-08 13:08:36
WASHINGTON (AP) — An international law enforcement team has arrested a Chinese national and Burley Garciadisrupted 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! (3)
Related
- SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters
- Family calls for transparency after heatstroke death of Baltimore trash collector
- Horoscopes Today, August 12, 2024
- Saturday Night Live’s Bowen Yang Says One Host Was So Rude Multiple Cast Members Cried
- Selena Gomez's "Weird Uncles" Steve Martin and Martin Short React to Her Engagement
- A year later, sprawling Georgia election interference case against Donald Trump has stalled
- Haason Reddick has requested a trade from the Jets after being a camp holdout, AP source says
- New Massachusetts law bars circuses from using elephants, lions, giraffes and other animals
- Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
- Maryland extends the contract of athletic director Damon Evans through June 2029
Ranking
- 'We're reborn!' Gazans express joy at returning home to north
- Duke, a 'boring' Las Vegas dog returned for napping too much, has new foster home
- Julianne Hough Reflects on Death of Her Dogs With Ex Ryan Seacrest
- Charli XCX and The 1975's George Daniel Pack on the PDA During Rare Outing
- Nevada attorney general revives 2020 fake electors case
- Blink Fitness gym chain files for bankruptcy, here's what it means for locations around US
- A year later, sprawling Georgia election interference case against Donald Trump has stalled
- Stud Earrings That We Think Are 'Very Demure, Very Cutesy'
Recommendation
Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds
Julianne Hough Reveals Real Reason Ryan Seacrest Romance Didn't Work
Yellowjackets' Samantha Hanratty Is Pregnant, Expecting First Baby With Husband Christian DeAnda
Plan approved by North Carolina panel to meet prisoner reentry goals
Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
Horoscopes Today, August 12, 2024
Sur La Table Flash Sale: $430 Le Creuset Dutch Oven For $278 & More 65% Off Kitchen Deals Starting at $7
CAS won't reconsider ruling that effectively stripped Jordan Chiles of bronze medal