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Law enforcement officers defeated a crypto group that laundered millions.
The Special Cyber Investigation Unit of the National Police Agency of Japan, together with law enforcement agencies of nine prefectures, arrested 26-year-old Yuta Kobayashi on suspicion of large-scale fraud using computer systems. The total amount of damage exceeded 100 million yen (more than $666,000).
The investigation found that an organized criminal group led by Kobayashi carried out money laundering operations through the Monero cryptocurrency. Japanese police managed to track down the suspect by analyzing transactions in this cryptocurrency.
According to the investigation, in June-July 2021, attackers placed non-existent goods on the Mercari trading platform. Using someone else's credit card data, the group made 42 fictitious transactions, as a result of which the platform operator transferred more than 2.75 million yen (~$18,000) to fraudsters.
The group's criminal activities lasted from June 2021 to January 2022. During this period, about 900 illegal transactions were carried out. Credit card details were allegedly obtained through phishing sites and fake emails.
At the moment, law enforcement agencies have detained 18 members of the criminal group. The recruitment of new members was carried out through ads about "shadow part-time work" on social networks, and communication was carried out through secure messengers.
The Special Cyber Investigation Unit, established in April 2024, joined the investigation in August. Kobayashi's identity was established through correspondence in messengers with the perpetrators of crimes and analysis of the movement of cryptocurrency.
Source
The Special Cyber Investigation Unit of the National Police Agency of Japan, together with law enforcement agencies of nine prefectures, arrested 26-year-old Yuta Kobayashi on suspicion of large-scale fraud using computer systems. The total amount of damage exceeded 100 million yen (more than $666,000).
The investigation found that an organized criminal group led by Kobayashi carried out money laundering operations through the Monero cryptocurrency. Japanese police managed to track down the suspect by analyzing transactions in this cryptocurrency.
According to the investigation, in June-July 2021, attackers placed non-existent goods on the Mercari trading platform. Using someone else's credit card data, the group made 42 fictitious transactions, as a result of which the platform operator transferred more than 2.75 million yen (~$18,000) to fraudsters.
The group's criminal activities lasted from June 2021 to January 2022. During this period, about 900 illegal transactions were carried out. Credit card details were allegedly obtained through phishing sites and fake emails.
At the moment, law enforcement agencies have detained 18 members of the criminal group. The recruitment of new members was carried out through ads about "shadow part-time work" on social networks, and communication was carried out through secure messengers.
The Special Cyber Investigation Unit, established in April 2024, joined the investigation in August. Kobayashi's identity was established through correspondence in messengers with the perpetrators of crimes and analysis of the movement of cryptocurrency.
Source
