U.S. Indicts Five Linked to Scattered Spider’s $11M Crypto Heist

Federal prosecutors have charged five individuals allegedly tied to the hacking group “Scattered Spider,” accusing them of orchestrating a series of cyberattacks that netted over $11 million in cryptocurrency.

Unsealed court documents from California reveal that the group, active from late 2021 to mid-2023, employed sophisticated techniques like phishing and SIM swapping. Phishing involves impersonating trusted entities to obtain sensitive login credentials, while SIM swapping allows attackers to seize control of victims’ phone numbers, bypassing security measures to access accounts.

Cross-Border Operations and Charges

The group’s members span the U.S. and U.K., marking a departure from typical affiliations with nations like Russia or North Korea. The indicted include:

• Noah Urban, 20, Florida
• Joel Evans, 25, North Carolina
• Ahmed Elbadawy, 23, Texas
• Evans Osiebo, 20, Texas
• Tyler Buchanan, 22, Scotland

Prosecutors allege their attacks targeted 29 individuals and multiple companies, including telecommunications providers, IT firms, and a cryptocurrency exchange.

Scope of Damage

Investigators have recovered approximately $4 million in cryptocurrency, though total financial and data losses are still under review. Tyler Buchanan, identified via domain registrations for fraudulent websites, remains at large in Scotland.

“This case demonstrates how a small group of individuals can cause enormous damage to businesses and individuals in a short time,” said Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California.

Urban, also known as “Sosa” within the SIM-swapping community, pleaded guilty to related charges earlier this year. Attorneys for the other defendants were not available for comment.

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