Hackers Arrested for Stealing $ 9 Million
According to an article, an unnamed accomplice and numerous Eastern Europeans have been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly hacking into an Atlanta-based credit card processing company (RBS WorldPay) computer network and thieving $9 million. Some of the charges filed in the indictment included:
- Conspiracy to commit computer fraud
- Computer fraud
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
- Wire fraud
- Aggravated identity theft
About the above charges, the indictment alleges that the group utilized refined hacking techniques to create the data encryption that was implemented by RBS WorldPay to protect customer data on payroll debit cards. Atlanta’s RBS WorldPay and many other companies across the United States use payroll debit cards to pay their employees and they can withdraw their regular salaries from an ATM.
Computer Crime Penalties
There is no doubt that this computer crime and theft crime is a serious and complicated matter that may enforce stern penalties upon the several accused individuals if convicted. If a person is found guilty, the consequences for such offenses can be devastating, especially when multiple counts are charged. For instance, those accused of computer fraud may face five or ten years in prison for each count they are found guilty of. In addition, some of the individuals charged with wire fraud may face a maximum sentence of up to 20 years for each count. Furthermore, an aggravated identity theft conviction alone amounts to a mandatory two-year minimum sentence.
Although these particular computer and internet crimes involving hacking and theft are more extensive than your typical incident, this case demonstrates the severity of criminal charges centering-around acts of fraud, especially when they breach national borders.
If you have been arrested for a computer or internet crime, whether it involved hacking, illegal computer transactions, cyber stalking, or identity theft, don’t hesitate to contact a skilled Atlanta computer crime defense lawyer.