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Alleged ZeuS Botmaster Arrested For Stealing $100M From US Banks

Posted by timothy on from the stumbling-block-on-the-career-path dept.

Trailrunner7 writes "A 24-year-old Algerian man remains in a Thai jail awaiting extradition to the United States, where he is suspected of masterminding more than $100 million in global bank heists using the ZeuS and SpyEye Trojans. Malaysian authorities believe they've apprehended the hacker Hamza Bendelladj, who they say has been jetsetting around the world using millions of dollars stolen online from various banks. He was arrested at a Bangkok airport en route from Malaysia to Egypt. The hacker had developed a considerable reputation as a major operator of ZeuS-powered botnets and bragged about his exploits"

6 of 76 comments (clear)

  1. moral of the story by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Don't spend money like an brain-dead Arkansas lotto winner if you steal millions of dollars from US victims using malware.

    1. Re:moral of the story by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Don't spend money like an brain-dead Arkansas lotto winner if you steal millions of dollars from US victims using malware.

      What else can he do with it besides spend it? He can't put it in the bank because banks aren't safe any more.

    2. Re:moral of the story by evil_aaronm · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I think AC was pointing to the fact that, rather than hold the people who caused the financial meltdown and subsequent bailout responsible, the authorities let them walk with their ill-gotten profits from their financial shenanigans. Isn't it up to the authorities to a) prevent these things; and / or b) prosecute them? We prosecute a botnet master who brags about his exploits, but we let walk those white collar criminals that took even more.

  2. better idea.. by fliptout · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Why not leave him in Thai jail.

    --
    A witty saying proves you are wittier than the next guy.
  3. Loose Lips Sink Ships by dav1dc · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "The hacker had developed a considerable reputation as a major operator of ZeuS-powered botnets and bragged about his exploits"

    Seems if he had just enjoyed the 100M and kept his mouth shut they might not have figured out who he is...

  4. Old News but some links from local Thai media... by nickserv · · Score: 4, Informative

    This story should have run nearly a week ago, he was arrested last Sunday GMT +7.

    Here's a story about it from the Bangkok Post that ran on the 7th GMT +7 http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crimes/329622/police-nab-suspect-wanted-for-hacking

    Here's another from local media in Thailand. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Hacker-held-pending-extradition-30197522.html

    "The lawsuit states the suspect used the "spy eye" software to steal people's financial information through phony Web pages from 217 computer networks worldwide from December 2009 to September 2011. An arrest warrant was issued in the state of Georgia on December 21, 2011. US authorities later called on Thai police to nab him and also requested that he be detained pending extradition."

    In the last couple years it seems that Thailand is trying to displace Canada as America's #1 bitch.

    As you can see from the photos he's been all smiles from his arrest at the airport to the obligatory publicity photo op Thai police hold when they occasionally do their job and arrest someone.

    --
    Less *is* more.