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US, NY Bust 92 Mules In 'ZeuS Trojan' Crime Ring

Posted by kdawson on from the beasts-of-burden dept.

Following on the 19 ZeuS botnet arrests in the UK, adeelarshad82 and other readers sent word that US and New York officials have unsealed more than 90 indictments of money mules and others accused of helping siphon more than $3M from 5 banks and dozens of individuals, and sending it overseas. The Manhattan US Attorney announced charges against 37 individuals and New York charged 55. Most of those indicted are foreign students who came to the US on exchange visitor visas. Most are from Russia, the Ukraine, Kazakhstan, or Belarus. Here is the FBI's lengthy press release. A security blogger has put up Facebook party photos of some of the indicted individuals who are still at large.

11 of 97 comments (clear)

  1. Shit where do I sign up by Rivalz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    3 million / 90 = 33k per mule.... wait thats not enough for me to fly across 10 time zones to get arrested a year later.
    Seriously crime should pay better even in a recession.

    1. Re:Shit where do I sign up by Fluffeh · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Even assuming most of these folks won't get anywhere near the full value of their withdrawl, for most of them it was likely the only way that they could get enough money to get overseas, possibly actually get some study done and maybe after their work was done, have a chance to start life in their shitty little eastern european countries.

      I have a good few friends in eastern europe. Trust me when I say that life is crap and opportunities are few and far between. While I certainly don't support or encourage crime like this, I can empathize with them.

      --
      Moved to http://soylentnews.org/. You are invited to join us too!
    2. Re:Shit where do I sign up by mirix · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Life is crap is rather relative. Sure it's not Sweden, but it isn't Burma either.

      Most east europeans I know have a fairly decent standard of living. There's room for improvement for sure, but it's not *that* bleak.

      Then again, I have an uncle who is a mech eng, and makes something like I'd make at mcdonalds here... but everything domestic there is considerably cheaper, so they aren't starving. The only real problem is getting western goods, or commodities with global prices (fuel is still expensive..) - This works in most parts of east europe I think. Moscow is a batshit insane corner case though, with ridiculous prices...

      Somehow they seem to be happier than the average american/canadian IME, though. More of a work enough to survive thing, as opposed to the 60h a week live to work thing we have happening here.

      And there's always a selection bias too, I guess. My Russian friends that want to come to the west badly seem to badmouth the motherland a lot more than friends that have no intention of leaving. I think part of it is a grass is greener thing.

      --
      Sent from my PDP-11
    3. Re:Shit where do I sign up by mirix · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Yeah, I suppose that could be true. I'm not amazingly familiar with russian prices (never been there.. yet!) but I've found cost of food and similar staples to be much cheaper in Serbia than in my home (canada), and presume a fair bit of that carries over.

      You're right, cars are definitely more expensive. I'm not sure if they still have tariffs on imported vehicles (which are based off an external prices, still..)
      Of course.. domestic vehicles are rather cheap, if you want one ;)
      Last time in serbia, a yugo was $6k or so tax paid, and around $9k for a lada niva.

      But I think the bare necessities (food, shelter) and definitely sin things (liquor, cigs) are /far/ cheaper. I can get a carton of cigs in serbia for less than a pack costs in Canada ;-)
      Luxuries, especially western made ones, are definitely not affordable though. But.. caviar is cheaper.. go figure.

      One thing I really like about east europe that all but disappeared in the west is.. one man operation stores.. and... repairing things! Imagine that.. fixing electronics, shoes, whatever... which becomes economical with lower wages, I suppose.

      --
      Sent from my PDP-11
  2. Money Mule Groups by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    After posting my email address publicly on careerbuilder.com, I started getting lots of emails advertising money mule positions. Here's one of their websites, in case you wanted to know what these groups are like.

  3. Bad for exchange students by biryokumaru · · Score: 5, Insightful

    People like this are going to make it increasingly difficult for legitimate students to come over here.

    --
    When you're afraid to download music illegally in your own home, then the terrorists have won!
    1. Re:Bad for exchange students by biryokumaru · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Americans acting like "ridiculous reactionaries!?" Never!

      --
      When you're afraid to download music illegally in your own home, then the terrorists have won!
  4. Re:WTF is wrong with certain countries ? by symes · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Communities of expertise - once a few people get going, networks develop, success motivates others, and so on. Just like banking tends to be highly localised in a few places.

  5. Serious Crimes + a Matrix inspired FBI logo by Required+Snark · · Score: 3, Informative
    These crimes have serious penalties:

    30 years in prison; fine of $1,000,000 or twice the gross gain or loss; and restitution

    20 years in prison; fine of $500,000 or twice the amount laundered; and restitution

    15 years in prison; fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss; and restitution

    10 years in prison; fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss; and restitution

    The charges are bank fraud, wire fraud, false use of passports and false use of identification.

    Plus, check out the FBI Cyber branch logo, obviously inspired by "The Matrix": http://newyork.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel10/images/nyfo093010_5.jpg

    --
    Why is Snark Required?
  6. Crime doens't pay well by Sycraft-fu · · Score: 5, Informative

    Despite the popular opinion, when you actually research it you find crime doesn't pay much better than honest work. If you are doing simple scut work, you get paid low wages, legal or illegal. Sure there are crime lords that make a lot, the heads of the drug cartels are filthy rich... But then that would be just like the people who created legal business empires. Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Jeff Bezos, etc all amazingly rich, richer than the drug lords, and did the same basic thing: Created a successful empire selling what people want.

    All in all, crime doesn't pay all that well, especially compared to the risks. It only pays well if you are higher up, just like in the legit world. You may hear about some mid level drug dealer that makes $200k and say "Wow, crime paid well," until you realize a mid level executive can make the same.

    Capitalism doesn't seem to suspend the rules for illegal enterprise.

  7. It means the charges can be presented at court by Sycraft-fu · · Score: 4, Informative

    An indictment is something you have to get in "capital, or otherwise infamous crimes," according to the 5th amendment. It often happens after arrest, but does not have to. Without an indictment, such a crime cannot go to court. It is a laugh test, basically. Fairly low standard of evidence (legally sufficient evidence and reasonable cause to believe) but makes sure people don't get dragged to court for a major crime if things are flimsy.

    Most states don't do indictments except in serious cases, but the feds do them for everything. Had a friend sit on a federal grand jury and they get an indictment for every single illegal immigration case. Never mind they are always 100% straight forward, they still get an indictment. The Feds don't bring something to trial without getting an indictment, even trivial stuff. Just how they do it.