FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before the House Judiciary Committee on the alleged politicization of law enforcement and the oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This hearing took place on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on July 12, 2023 (source: Reuters, Jonathan Ernst).
In an announcement made on Thursday, federal prosecutors revealed that the mastermind behind a ransomware hosting service, Artur Grabowski, was indicted in federal court this week. This service facilitated criminals in collecting over 5,000 bitcoin in ransom from hundreds of victims. At current prices, the value of this bitcoin exceeds $146 million.
Grabowski’s hosting service, known as LolekHosted, operated for approximately ten years and positioned itself as a safe space for all content except child pornography, according to Florida prosecutors. Allegedly, clients utilized this hosting service to deploy ransomware viruses that infected about 400 networks worldwide. Ransomware attacks typically involve the encryption of an organization’s computer data, rendering it unusable until a fee is paid by the victim.
Furthermore, Grabowski and his co-conspirators are accused of refusing to cooperate with law enforcement requests, protecting alleged criminal actors from takedowns, and profiting greatly from their service.
Grabowski now faces charges of computer fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit international money laundering. Additionally, a $21.5 million seizure order has been issued against him. The indictment against Grabowski was unsealed in a Florida court on Wednesday, and as of now, Grabowski remains at large. The charging document states that three other co-conspirators participated in the alleged scheme, but their identities remain undisclosed.
The IRS’ Criminal Investigation unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized Grabowski’s “100% privacy hosting” service on Tuesday. Grabowski, a Polish national, could face a maximum sentence of 45 years if apprehended and convicted.
Federal prosecutors have been intensifying their efforts to combat ransomware attacks. Earlier this year, the Justice Department established a dedicated unit to address cyber national security threats. While numerous ransomware prosecutions have been disclosed in U.S. courts, the global dispersion of perpetrators makes it uncertain how many will ultimately face incarceration.
To learn more about ransomware attacks and their increasing prevalence, check out the accompanying video featuring insights from Check Point CEO Shwed.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
