Security News > 2020 > July > Your 2.3m Instagram fans won't stop the FBI... Web star accused of plotting to launder millions from cyber-crime

An Instagram super-star with 2.3 million followers has been extradited to America accused of conspiring to launder hundreds of millions of dollars obtained via cyber-crime.

Abbas allegedly ran so-called business email compromise scams, which typically involve hijacking email accounts, or impersonating strangers in emails, to fool victims into transferring money to the scammer's bank account rather than a legit recipient.

For the second alleged caper, prosecutors said, Hushpuppi's crew helped to launder portions of €13m a hacker stole from a European bank via the SWIFT transfer system, by providing multiple bank accounts in which the money was deposited before eventually being wired out to the cyber-heist's mastermind, with Hushpuppi and his pals taking a cut.

Apple handed over the details on that account, and it listed a physical address in Dubai and a Gmail address used to set up the Apple account, also named rayhushpuppi.

It also appeared Abbas got sloppy, linking his personal Gmail address to multiple financial accounts used to launder the money, it's claimed, as well as for Western Union money transfer accounts.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2020/07/06/hushpuppi_extradited_bec_conspiracy/