The FBI claims to have cracked a major cyber-crime network and made more than 100 arrests in the US according to the BBC. The suspected members worked as mules for fraudsters based in Eastern-Europe who sole around $70m from companies and consumers in the US by hacking into their computer systems.
The FBI worked with police and security agencies right around the world. The UK police confirmed that more people had been detained the Ukraine. Other countries involved included the Netherlands.
The US Attorney General said that those arrested in the US had been charged with conspiracy to commit bank-fraud and money laundering. They acted as go-betweens providing bank accounts for the criminals to deposit stolen money in.
The FBI added that the crime ring had attempted to steal $220m by obtaining usernames and passwords for bank account details.
The arrests are the culmination of an investigation that began in May 2009 when FBI agents noticed a string of suspicious bank transactions.
In the UK, 19 suspected members of the ring were arrested and Ukranian police arrested 5 people suspected of directing the scheme.
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