Nov 21st 2024

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged five individuals in connection with a sophisticated crypto hacking operation that reportedly stole $6.3 million in cryptocurrency and breached sensitive corporate data. The accused face charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, among other offenses.

Hackers Targeted Tech and Crypto Platforms

According to the DOJ, the hacking group executed a years-long phishing campaign targeting employees of prominent tech firms, telecommunications companies, and cryptocurrency platforms. The defendants allegedly impersonated legitimate corporate portals through phishing messages, enabling them to steal login credentials and compromise two-factor authentication systems.

Defendants Identified

The DOJ named the suspects as:

Ahmed Hossam Eldin Elbadawy, 23, of Texas

Noah Michael Urban, 20, of Florida

Evans Onyeaka Osiebo, 20, of Texas

Joel Martin Evans, 25, of North Carolina

Tyler Robert Buchanan, 22, a UK citizen arrested in Spain

The suspects allegedly attacked 45 companies across the U.S., Canada, the UK, and other nations from September 2021 to April 2023. Among the targets were high-profile firms, including Okta.