Iranian Hacking Crew Charged in Sprawling Theft Case - Including $6M Bitcoin Ransom

Bitcoin Magazine

Iranian Hacking Crew Charged in Sprawling Theft Case — Including $6M Bitcoin Ransom 

Feds have hit 17 Iranians with criminal charges for allegedly conducting a years-long campaign of cyber attacks — including trying to extort HBO for $6 million in bitcoin.

The U.S. Department of Justice said Tuesday that the 17 individuals were working with the Mabna Institute, which carried out hacking campaigns on ​behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other Iranian ​government and university clients.

Hundreds of U.S. and ⁠international universities, dozens of companies, and at least five ​state and federal government agencies were targeted in the campaign.

Part of the indictment mentioned Behzad Mesri, who was previously charged with hacking entertainment giant Home Box Office — HBO — and stealing proprietary data. The crime then saw Mesri try and extort approximately $6 million worth of Bitcoin.

Prosecutors added that five other defendants — Saeid Houshyar, Manouchehr Hashemloo, Keyvan Fayaz, Saber Shahbazi Ballojeh, and Arman Kahzadian — were directly involved in the hack.

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