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Microsoft Engineer Charged In Reveton Ransomware Case (bleepingcomputer.com)

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the inside-job dept.

An anonymous reader writes: A Microsoft network engineer is facing federal charges in Florida for allegedly helping launder money obtained from victims of the Reventon ransomware. Florida investigators say that between October 2012 and March 2013, Uadiale worked with a UK citizen going online by the moniker K!NG. The latter would distribute and infect victims with the Reveton ransomware, while Uadiale would collect payments and send the money to K!NG, in the UK. Investigators tracked down Uadiale because this happened before Bitcoin became popular with ransomware authors and they used the now-defunct Liberty Reserve digital currency to move funds. Authorities from 18 countries seized and shut down Liberty Reserve servers in May 2013.

24 comments

  1. Really by alvinrod · · Score: 0

    I don't like Windows either, but I hardly consider it ransomware. Just install Ubuntu which is free.

    1. Re: Really by c6gunner · · Score: 3, Informative

      I don't like Windows either, but I hardly consider it ransomware. Just install Ubuntu which is free.

      I'm not permitted to use Linux at work, so it certainly feels like I'm being held hostage.

    2. Re: Really by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Tried installing Ubuntu. Installed a EFI boot partition that initially wouldnâ(TM)t boot. Then didnâ(TM)t like my GPU, so I booted with nomodeset. Didnâ(TM)t like my CPU microcode so scoured the forums. Updated the firmware but no joy.

      Installed Windows...working fine.

      Ubuntu is for advanced users with very particular compatible hardware, but itâ(TM)s definitely not for everyone.

  2. Why ?? why ?? by martiniturbide · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It kind of sucks that the company get named on the headline when an employee does something evil.

    1. Re:Why ?? why ?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's called "Insider Trading".

    2. Re: Why ?? why ?? by Type44Q · · Score: 1

      Sucks for the employee; bad enough to get busted... but associating with Microsoft?? Shameful.

    3. Re:Why ?? why ?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you embrace diversity, in this case hiring Paper Americans from Nigeria, you deserve every bad headline that policy inevitably brings.

    4. Re:Why ?? why ?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      no it isn't moron, go get a dictionary so you understand what insider trading is.

    5. Re: Why ?? why ?? by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      Look on the bright side, he was Nigerian and M$ hired him, not to be racist but it is as funny as fuck (apparently this case pre-dates his employment at M$, who will likely have to carefully check everything this guy ever touched ie inside access at M$ probably more profitable than the prior scam, a real problem for M$).

      Side note, the shut down Liberty Reserve servers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... contained $6 BILLION in claimed money laundering operations and they are still working through it. I am wondering if that is why they let bitcoin go for so long, their next huge fishing expedition when they shut it down and steal all the servers, take them many years to go through that (big fish first and then the little ones there in after).

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
  3. I guess it really was Microsoft calling this time! by LoTonah · · Score: 1

    Seriously, I love hearing stories of how MS calls people to tell them their computers have a problem. Especially when those users are Mac users. My cousin uses a Chromebook and laughed her ass off on the phone when they called.

  4. he was tracked down by tomhath · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Investigators tracked down Uadiale because this happened before Bitcoin became popular

    No, they tracked him down because he was committing a crime. Whether or not it would have been easier to track him down if he'd used bitcoin is another question.

  5. Re: First post by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A blue wave is coming!

  6. Re:I guess it really was Microsoft calling this ti by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Oh yes. They are called John and speak with a heavy Indian Accent.
    Give them full access to your computers as Nanny Microsoft really does know best and only wants what is best for you. (sic)
    Instead, they want to fleece you for everything you have.
    No difference there then.

  7. Elite scammer by lucm · · Score: 4, Funny

    At least he took it a step further than email scams

    The accused is Raymond Uadiale, 41, a naturalized US citizen of Nigerian descent

    --
    lucm, indeed.
  8. Re:I guess it really was Microsoft calling this ti by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You know MS doesn't actually call anyone and ask for access right? These are scammers.

  9. Re: All MS software by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You are such a tool

  10. Re:I guess it really was Microsoft calling this ti by LoTonah · · Score: 0

    Wow, that's quite the revelation. Did you know that water is wet, too?

  11. Is this the same Raymond Uadiale? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Raymond Uadiale, a math professor in Miami Dade College, Florida

    http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=1309918

    Is this the same guy charged with ransomware?

  12. Re:I guess it really was Microsoft calling this ti by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    WOOOOOOSH