Hackers Stole $45 Million From ATMs

By Alex Fitzpatrick2013-05-09 22:23:45 UTC

Federal prosecutors have accused eight people of being part of a global "cybercrime organization" said to be responsible for the theft of $45 million from ATMs around the world. Seven of the eight suspects have been arrested, while authorities say the eighth was reportedly murdered in the Dominican Republic last month.

The eight suspects are accused of comprising the global heist's New York cell, stealing $2.8 million from area ATMs. They're suspected of working with hackers who twice broke into credit card processing companies' computer systems, stole ATM card data and bypassed the withdrawal limits on the accounts. The technique is known as an "unlimited operation," as the thieves can grab a potentially unlimited amount of cash.

"As charged in the indictment, the defendants and their co-conspirators participated in a massive 21st century bank heist that reached across the Internet and stretched around the globe," said United States Attorney Loretta E. Lynch in a statement.

"In the place of guns and masks, this cybercrime organization used laptops and the Internet," continued Lynch. "Moving as swiftly as data over the Internet, the organization worked its way from the computer systems of international corporations to the streets of New York City, with the defendants fanning out across Manhattan to steal millions of dollars from hundreds of ATMs in a matter of hours."

Authorities believe the cell withdrew their share of the cash on two separate occasions — once in December and another time in February.

The December operation targeted a credit card processor in the United Arab Emirates and involved 4,500 ATM transactions in approximately 20 countries. The New York cell is accused of carrying out 750 of those transactions and grabbing almost $400,000. The February operation hit a credit card processor in Oman with the New York cell accused of stealing $2.4 million in that instance through nearly 3,000 ATM withdrawals.

The eight New York suspects have been charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud, money laundering conspiracy and money laundering. If found guilty, the defendants each face up to 10 years behind bars for money laundering and another 7.5 years for each of the other three charges.

Image via Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

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