Algerian Hacker Held Pending Extradition: Bangkok

[webfact]

Hacker held pending extradition

Anuphan Chantana,

Noppadol Srithaweekard,

Wasinat Kreungchai

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok's Ratchadapisek Criminal Court yesterday ordered that Algerian hacking suspect Hamza Bendelladj, 24, be detained pending extradition to the United States for prosecution over banking fraud.

Bendelladj, who got a computer science degree in Algeria in 2008, was apprehended at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Sunday night. The suspect was allegedly heading to Cairo and had a layover in Bangkok. He is wanted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation for allegedly hacking into bank accounts, which made him US$10 million (Bt304.6 million).

Bendelladj claims he used the money for personal expenses and travel, and was not connected to any cyber crime syndicate.

The lawsuit states the suspect used the "spy eye" software to steal people's financial information through phony Web pages from 217 computer networks worldwide from December 2009 to September 2011. An arrest warrant was issued in the state of Georgia on December 21, 2011. US authorities later called on Thai police to nab him and also requested that he be detained pending extradition.

Immigration Police deputy chief Preecha Thimamontri said the FBI had been looking for the suspect for three years now, adding that Bendelladj, who graduated with a 3.9 grade point average, was fluent in five languages and targeted banks worldwide. He warned people not to open any suspicious e-mails to protect themselves from hackers

-- The Nation 2013-01-09

[quadman]

10 million? 24 years old, 2 years worth of personal expenses?? Nice life, if you can stay out of the way of the FBI!

[noitom]

He looks like he had a good time. The Thais will get some money out of him on the pretense that he will be freed, then they will hand him over to the US.

[mamypoko]

Is he doing the Asian "smile when the sh.t gets heavy", or is he excited about the upcoming comped flight and room?

[klauskunkel]

Is he doing the Asian "smile when the sh.t gets heavy", or is he excited about the upcoming comped flight and room?

I think he is excited about the prospect of sharing his room with "Bubba"

[chainarong]

Such a waste of talent, looks like the dude likes the fast lane, he might have done better working for a bank, not always a good idea to stopover in BKK.

[Pokerstar]

Still doesnt explain how he got that much money out of the bank accounts without going un noticed for 2 years. What I know, every bank have a anti-fraud system. If you try take to much, the bank will call the account holder?

[Scully]

It's easy money and not really clever. I have had many fake emails supposedly from a real bank asking for name and numbers.

Along the way you are going to come across someone who is not computer savvy who gives their details. It's theft at the end of the day and he should be punished.

[sysardman]

Shame it wasn't a Thailand based crime so he'd have spent his time here, that would've wiped that smug look off his face.