One of the problems with prosecuting cybercriminals is that building cases and investigations takes time, often years.
-
It's not even that uncommon for cybercrooks to get let out of jail and literally go dig up a trezor hardware wallet and retrieve millions of stolen money.
I don't think we've come to terms with the fact that most of these guys will have stuff squirreled away everywhere, just in case. In the past, if you got busted they pretty much knew what you had in your bank accounts, which were all frozen, and any cash you had would be seized.
But that's not even relevant anymore. It's like having lots of ill-gotten bitcoin makes you a member of the mob or a cartel, in that you will always have some kind of protection when you get out.
-
@briankrebs If they do make statements about receiving large sums of (untaxed) income which can then be substantiated with other evidence (blockchain, unexplained assets, extravagant lifestyle, etc.), that might have a chance of success.
-
The other thing that might make a dent in this problem is more civil prosecutions by bitcoin theft victims against the parents of kids involved in these crypto heists. The big thing now is targeting lower end young crypto dads, apparently. You know, the kind who put all their kids' college fund in there.
The federal system doesn't know what to do with minors, which is why the sim-swappers and other crimers on the The Com constantly recruit 12 and 13 y/o to do the interstate calling where they commit serious federal crimes. Or holding the bitcoin or SIM cards, or whatever.
Some of these kids are millionaires many times over before they are 18, by stealing it all.
-
@briankrebs This also seems to be a preferred way to jump start an infosec career. The orgs that have stuff to protect either want a PhD or someone like that who proved themselves "effective" in committing crimes. Someone like me who writes defensive utilities isn't even going to get responses for junior sysadmin posts.
-
what the IRS audit folks recovered in the current administration is exactly why TFG's handleers all want the IRS audits gutted yet again. you can be sure they all remember the lesson of how they finally got al capone.
-
@briankrebs
The look on his face says it all. -
@briankrebs Crime totally pays.
-
Secular Christmas Robotreplied to BrianKrebs on last edited by
@briankrebs isn't the problem that we don't actually know who the operators are, physically? And, most of the time, they are probably hard to get at, ensconced inside Russia or North Korea?
-
BrianKrebsreplied to Secular Christmas Robot on last edited by
@StompyRobot No the problem in this case is the opposite: Everyone is looking for Russian or NK hackers, and ignoring these guys.
-
S. G. Tallentyre (🤨 ┻━┻)replied to BrianKrebs last edited by
I knew—notice that that's past tense, fortunately—someone who got life without the possibility of parole, and who earned every bit of that sentence. When I found out he was arrested and on what charges, I simultaneously lost all respect for him and became genuinely, really impressed by him. He everyone fooled, including me. He was arrested eleven years ago next month. I haven't spoken to him since then, nor would I have much to say to him if I did, frankly. I wouldn't ask him why because that question doesn't mean anything. I would ask him how because I find that fascinating. This kid reminds me a lot of that guy, for some reason.
