Scottish man, 22, linked to hacking group 'Scattered Spider' charged in US

Prosecutors successful the US person revealed transgression charges against 5 radical - including a antheral from Scotland - alleged to beryllium portion of a cybercrime radical suspected of stealing millions successful cryptocurrency.

It is claimed they were portion of a hacking organisation called Scattered Spider, which successful September 2023 besides crashed the networks astatine casino firms Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International.

They managed to disable the groups' operations and demanded hefty ransom payments. Caesars paid astir $15m (£12m) to reconstruct its network.

On Wednesday, Martin Estrada, US lawyer successful Los Angeles, outlined details of charges related to alleged phishing attacks targeting assorted companies.

He claimed, that from astatine slightest September 2021 to April 2023, the defendants sent substance messages to victims' mobile phones informing that their accounts would beryllium deactivated.

According to tribunal documents, links successful the SMS messages directed unit to websites - which looked morganatic - requesting log-in accusation for their institution oregon supplier.

Once the hackers stole the credentials they are accused of harvesting confidential information. In immoderate cases, it is alleged they utilized the information to entree cryptocurrency accounts and bargain millions.

A British antheral is among those charged. Tyler Robert Buchanan, 22, from Scotland, is accused of conspiracy to perpetrate ligament fraud, conspiracy, ligament fraud, and aggravated individuality theft.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Central District of California told Sky News that Mr Buchanan is presently successful custody successful Spain.

When asked astir ineligible arrangements to perchance extradite him to the US from Spain, the bureau said it had "no comment" to make.

In June, Spanish constabulary said they had arrested astatine Palma airdrome successful Majorca a 22-year-old British national, who was allegedly the person of an organised radical dedicated to stealing accusation from companies and cryptocurrencies, and who managed to summation power of 391 bitcoins worthy much than 27 cardinal dollars.

The Spanish National Police said successful a connection connected its website that helium was preparing to permission Spain connected a charter formation bound for Naples astatine the time.

The remaining 4 radical - each successful their twenties and from Texas, Florida and North Carolina - are accused of akin offences.

The different 4 charged are: Ahmed Elbadawy, 23, of College Station, Texas; Joel Evans, 25, of Jacksonville, North Carolina; Evans Osiebo, 20, of Dallas; and Noah Urban, 20, of Palm Coast, Florida.

Victims allegedly included astatine slightest 12 companies successful the gaming, outsourcing, telecommunications and cryptocurrency fields, positive hundreds of thousands of individuals.

"We allege that this radical of cybercriminals perpetrated a blase strategy to bargain intelligence spot and proprietary accusation worthy tens of millions of dollars and bargain idiosyncratic accusation belonging to hundreds of thousands of individuals," said US lawyer Martin Estrada.

The FBI, which is investigating, says it secured assistance from different instrumentality enforcement agencies including Police Scotland.

If convicted, each suspect faces a statutory maximum condemnation of 20 years for conspiracy to perpetrate ligament fraud, up to 5 years for conspiracy, and a mandatory two-year consecutive situation condemnation for aggravated individuality theft.