Four citizens of Vietnam are facing charges in the United States for their alleged involvement in cybercrime linked to the international group FIN9. The group reportedly caused American companies to suffer losses exceeding $71 million. The main defendants are accused of carrying out phishing campaigns and infiltrating supply chains, resulting in significant financial losses and unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information.
According to information provided by The US Department of Justice, between 2018 and 2021, the accused individuals hacked into corporate networks to steal gift card data, personal information of employees and customers, and bank card details. This information was reportedly used to carry out various fraudulent activities, such as registering on cryptocurrency platforms and setting up servers to conceal their criminal activities.
Three of the accused individuals are also accused of selling the stolen gift cards through fake accounts, which helped disguise the origin of the illicitly obtained funds. All four defendants are facing charges of conspiracy to commit fraud, intentional damage to protected computers, and related computer intrusion offenses.
If found guilty, the cybercriminals could potentially face a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison. Some of the accused may also face additional charges related to money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to commit fraud involving personal data, which could result in a further 20 years of incarceration.