A teenage hacker from the UK has been arrested on charges of money laundering conspiracy, computer fraud, and wire fraud conspiracy, and stands accused of being part of a hacking group that extorted over $115 million from close to 50 victims in America, alongside various attacks in the UK, according to the Department of Justice. Alleged to be part of the infamous "Scattered Spider" hacking group, it seems that 19-year-old Thalha Jubair wasn't one of the lucky few who were able to ride off into the sunset after its retirement announcement earlier this month.
Jubair is alleged to have been involved in at least 120 different computer network intrusions over a three-year period, starting in 2022. The complaint, filed with the District of New Jersey, accuses Jubair of targeting 47 U.S. entities. He and the group he was a part of, Scattered Spider, were well known for utilizing social engineering techniques to gain access to corporate networks and then steal data or use ransomware attacks to blackmail and extort the businesses for profit.
Over just the past few years, Jubair is alleged to have extorted over $115 million from victims all over the world. Although the FBI Newark field office is investigating the case, it's doing so in conjunction with the UK National Crime Agency and City of London Police, as well as police agencies in the Netherlands, Romania, Canada, and Australia.
He also seems to have had particular involvement in controlling the money extracted from victims. Portions of the ransom payments were sent to cryptocurrency wallets controlled by Jubair. In July 2024, when law enforcement seized the server said to be storing the wallets containing cryptocurrency worth some $36 million, Jubair is alleged to have transferred some of those tokens, with a reported net worth of $8.4 million, to another wallet.
“The arrest of Thalha Jubair underscores an undeniable truth: no matter how elusive or destructive these cyber-criminal syndicates are, we will continue to pursue those who allegedly extort our businesses and ensure they are held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy for the FBI.
Jubair was arrested in London and was formally charged on September 18. Alongside the charges in U.S. courts, he also stands accused of an attack against Transport for London (TFL) infrastructure in August 2024, where customer data, including names, contact details, and addresses, were compromised.
London police also arrested a fellow accused hacker, 18-year-old Owen Flowers, who also stands accused of involvement with the TFL hack. Flowers faces additional charges in the U.S., too, where he's accused of attacking health companies SSM Health Care Corporation and Sutter Health.
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