Algerian Sought For I T Virus Extradited To U S

[webfact]

Algerian sought for IT virus extradited to US

WASHINGTON, May 4, 2013 (AFP) - An Algerian sought in connection with the "SpyEye" computer virus designed to steal financial and personal information was extradited by Thailand to the United States to face charges, officials said Friday.

The US Justice Department said Hamza Bendelladj, known by his alias "Bx1," would face charges in federal court in Atlanta, Georgia, for his role in developing, marketing and distributing the malware.

Bendelladj, 24, was charged in a 23-count indictment that was returned on December 20, 2011, and unsealed Friday, including charges of wire fraud, computer fraud and conspiracy.

Officials said Bendelladj was arrested January 5 at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, while he was in transit from Malaysia to Egypt. He was extradited from Thailand on Thursday.

"Hamza Bendelladj has been extradited to the United States to face charges of controlling and selling a nefarious computer virus designed to pry into computers and extract personal financial information," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman.

"The indictment charges Bendelladj and his co-conspirators with operating servers designed to control the personal computers of unsuspecting individuals and aggressively marketing their virus to other international cybercriminals intent on stealing sensitive information."

According to court documents, SpyEye was designed to automate the theft of confidential personal and financial information, such as online banking credentials, credit card information, usernames, passwords and other personally identifying information.

Bendelladj and others are accused of having developed, marketed and sold various versions of the SpyEye virus and component parts online from 2009 to 2001.

The Algerian also allegedly operated a server located in the state of Georgia, which controlled computers infected with the SpyEye virus.

The names of others accused in the same indictment were not disclosed in a redacted document released by officials.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-05-04

[IMA_FARANG]

Depending on his attitude this guy may never do a day of real jail time.

There are agencies of the U.S. government that need his obvious talents to find and stop others who would like to do what he did.

If he is willing to co-operate with them against such people, he could be a big asset to those agencies.

Otherwise he can do hard time, but if he co-operates he will do easy time.

The fact that he was detained passing through Thailand on his way (apparently) from Malaysia to Algeria tells you all you need to know,

They knew he was traveling and intercepted him,

It wasn't just a lucky random stop.

Therefore, they hope to make use of him and his talents.

If he's willing to co-operate then ironically this could be his big break.

[MikeThaison]

Depending on his attitude this guy may never do a day of real jail time.

There are agencies of the U.S. government that need his obvious talents to find and stop others who would like to do what he did.

If he is willing to co-operate with them against such people, he could be a big asset to those agencies.

Otherwise he can do hard time, but if he co-operates he will do easy time.

The fact that he was detained passing through Thailand on his way (apparently) from Malaysia to Algeria tells you all you need to know,

They knew he was traveling and intercepted him,

It wasn't just a lucky random stop.

Therefore, they hope to make use of him and his talents.

If he's willing to co-operate then ironically this could be his big break.

LMFAO!!! you watch too many hollywood movies. I can't believe how naive you are. What you think the CIA or NSA is just going to make all the charges just disappear if he "cooperates?" This case has made international news, unfortunately you can't make a case just disappear and then put him on the government payroll. Do you think the US gov wants to expose state secrets/operations to an Algerian National, because that is what would happen if they put him on payroll. LMAO your living in a dream my friend.

[Bagwan]

Depending on his attitude this guy may never do a day of real jail time.

There are agencies of the U.S. government that need his obvious talents to find and stop others who would like to do what he did.

If he is willing to co-operate with them against such people, he could be a big asset to those agencies.

Otherwise he can do hard time, but if he co-operates he will do easy time.

The fact that he was detained passing through Thailand on his way (apparently) from Malaysia to Algeria tells you all you need to know,

They knew he was traveling and intercepted him,

It wasn't just a lucky random stop.

Therefore, they hope to make use of him and his talents.

If he's willing to co-operate then ironically this could be his big break.

LMFAO!!! you watch too many hollywood movies. I can't believe how naive you are. What you think the CIA or NSA is just going to make all the charges just disappear if he "cooperates?" This case has made international news, unfortunately you can't make a case just disappear and then put him on the government payroll. Do you think the US gov wants to expose state secrets/operations to an Algerian National, because that is what would happen if they put him on payroll. LMAO your living in a dream my friend.

Well they didn't have much difficulty in secretly offering a war criminal viz. Wernher von Braun a good job, did they? Research 'Operation Paperclip'. The US Government didn't have too many scruples about offering Reinhart Gehlen a safe harbour either.

[Chicog]

Sure they can offer him a deal.

30 years instead of life.

[Thorgal]

I think he had to open physically a bank account in Malaysia...easy fish...

[Cardiff1963]

Depending on his attitude this guy may never do a day of real jail time.

There are agencies of the U.S. government that need his obvious talents to find and stop others who would like to do what he did.

If he is willing to co-operate with them against such people, he could be a big asset to those agencies.

Otherwise he can do hard time, but if he co-operates he will do easy time.

The fact that he was detained passing through Thailand on his way (apparently) from Malaysia to Algeria tells you all you need to know,

They knew he was traveling and intercepted him,

It wasn't just a lucky random stop.

Therefore, they hope to make use of him and his talents.

If he's willing to co-operate then ironically this could be his big break.

LMFAO!!! you watch too many hollywood movies. I can't believe how naive you are. What you think the CIA or NSA is just going to make all the charges just disappear if he "cooperates?" This case has made international news, unfortunately you can't make a case just disappear and then put him on the government payroll. Do you think the US gov wants to expose state secrets/operations to an Algerian National, because that is what would happen if they put him on payroll. LMAO your living in a dream my friend.

Well they didn't have much difficulty in secretly offering a war criminal viz. Wernher von Braun a good job, did they? Research 'Operation Paperclip'. The US Government didn't have too many scruples about offering Reinhart Gehlen a safe harbour either.

Looks the a member of TV's very own Scooby Doo gang has got their facts confused again. Gehlen was never convicted or even accused of war crimes, in fact he was one of the conspirators in the failed assassination of Hitler. von Braun was a rocket scientist, credited as being the Father of Rocket Science, again never accused of being a war criminal. But why let facts get in the way?

[F430murci]

Yeah, this hacker is not so good or useful. He got caught.