Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

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.

7 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 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
  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. 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.

  5. 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.