Pokémon Card Scammers Arrested By FBI – 2024

Pokémon Card Scammers Arrested By FBI

The FBI has arrested Anthony Curcio and Iosif Bondarchuk for operating a nationwide scam involving sports and Pokémon trading cards.

Primary Category: Criminal Justice

Authors:
• SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
• Federal Bureau of Investigation

About This Article

The FBI has arrested Anthony Curcio and Iosif Bondarchuk for operating a nationwide scam involving sports and Pokémon trading cards. Charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, the duo allegedly manipulated the market by misrepresenting low-to-mid grade cards as high-grade, authenticated by a reputable grading company, causing victims to overpay and resulting in over $2 million in fraudulent sales.

The scheme, which spanned from 2022 to May 2024, involved selling cards with falsified grades through online marketplaces and in-person venues. Curcio and Bondarchuk used fake identities to conceal their involvement, even after victims confronted them.

The case highlights the FBI’s commitment to combating fraud and protecting consumers in the collectibles market.

911 S5 Botnet Dismantled – Another Major Botnet Taken Down By Law Enforcement – 2024

911 S5 Botnet Dismantled – Another Major Botnet Taken Down

Law Enforcement Takes Down Another Major Cybercrime Operation

Primary Category: Law Enforcement

Authors:
• SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
• U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation

About This Article

In a significant international law enforcement operation led by the U.S. Justice Department, the notorious 911 S5 botnet, responsible for infecting over 19 million IP addresses and facilitating large-scale fraud and other crimes, has been dismantled.

The operation resulted in the arrest of YunHe Wang, a Chinese national, who allegedly created and operated the botnet from 2014 to 2022. Wang’s malware compromised millions of residential computers, allowing cybercriminals to commit various offenses, including financial fraud and child exploitation.

7 Chinese Hackers Indicted In U.S. Court For Cybercrime – 2024

7 Chinese Hackers Indicted In U.S. Court

Authors:
• SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
• United States Department of Justice

About This Article

In a significant development, seven Chinese hackers, associated with the Chinese government and operating under the APT31 cybercrime and hacking group, have been indicted for their involvement in a sophisticated cybercrime scheme targeting perceived critics of China, U.S. businesses, and politicians.

The indictment, unsealed recently, charges the individuals with conspiracy to commit computer intrusions and wire fraud, highlighting their role in cyber espionage, economic espionage, and foreign intelligence activities.

SCARS Editorial Team2024-03-31T19:50:34-04:00March 31st, 2024|Categories: • CRIMES & CRIMINALS, 2024, CHINA (PRC), NEWS, SCARS Institute Editorial Team, U.S. Department of Justice, USA|Tags: Chinese Cybercriminals, Chinese Hackers, Cybercrime, Indicted|0 Comments

LockBit Ransomware Shut Down By Combined Global Law Enforcement – 2024

LockBit Ransomware Shut Down By Combined Global Law Enforcement

Global Operation Chronos Shuts Down LockBit Ransomware

Cybercrime News

Authors:
• SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
• Europol
• U.S. Department of Justice

About This Article

FBI and Europol reports LockBit as the most deployed ransomware globally, with operations disrupted by law enforcement across ten countries. LockBit, infamous for causing extensive financial damage, saw its criminal activities severely compromised.

The international effort, led by the UK’s National Crime Agency under ‘Operation Cronos’, coordinated by Europol, dismantled LockBit’s infrastructure, including 34 seized servers. Arrests were made in Poland and Ukraine, with warrants issued by French and US authorities. Over 200 cryptocurrency accounts linked to the group were frozen.

SCARS Editorial Team2024-02-21T22:12:44-05:00February 21st, 2024|Categories: • CRIMES & CRIMINALS, 2024, EUROPOL, NEWS, SCARS Institute Editorial Team, U.S. Department of Justice, WORLDWIDE|Tags: EUROPOL, FBI, Law Enforcement, LockBit, NCA, Operation Chronos, Ransomware|0 Comments

xDedic Marketplace Is Now An Ex-xDedic Marketplace! Another Dark Web Shutdown 2024

xDedic Marketplace Is Now An Ex-xDedic Marketplace!

Global Law Enforcement Shuts Down Dark Web Marketplace and Arrests 19

Authors:
• SCARS Editorial Team – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
• United States Department of Justice

Article Abstract

United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg concludes a significant transnational cybercrime investigation into the xDedic Marketplace, a dark web site trafficking in login credentials and personal data of U.S. residents.

Operating globally, this marketplace enabled diverse illegal activities such as tax fraud and ransomware.

U.S. Department of Justice