Seizure
“Rapper Bot” malware seized, alleged developer identified and charged
The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) announced charges against the alleged developer and administrator of the “Rapper Bot” DDoS-for-hire botnet. Ethan Foltz, 22, of Eugene, Oregon, allegedly rented the botnet to cybercriminals eho targeted various organizations. The botnet operation itself was seized as part of ‘Operation PowerOff ‘on August 6, during a raid at Foltz’s residence in Oregon. […]
U.S. seizes $2.8 million in crypto from Zeppelin ransomware operator
The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) announced the seizure of more than $2.8 million in cryptocurrency from suspected ransomware operator Ianis Aleksandrovich Antropenko. Antropenko, indicted in Texas for computer fraud and money laundering, was linked to Zeppelin ransomware, a now-defunct extortion operation that ran between 2019 and 2022. Apart from the digital asset seizure, the authorities […]
Over $300 million in cybercrime crypto seized in anti-fraud effort
More than $300 million worth of cryptocurrency linked to cybercrime and fraud schemes has been frozen due to two separate initiatives involving law enforcement and private companies. One initiative is the T3+ Global Collaborator Program launched by the T3 Financial Crime Unit (T3 FCU), a joint effort deployed almost a year ago by intelligence firm TRM […]
US govt seizes $1 million in crypto from BlackSuit ransomware gang
The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) seized cryptocurrency and digital assets worth $1,091,453 at the time of confiscation, on January 9, 2024, from the BlackSuit ransomware gang. The authorities tracked the crypto as the cybercriminals moved it repeatedly across virtual currency exchange accounts, depositing and withdrawing it to obfuscate the trace. Eventually, the amount was […]
Royal and BlackSuit ransomware gangs hit over 450 US companies
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says the cybercrime gang behind the Royal and BlackSuit ransomware operations had breached hundreds of U.S. companies before being taken down last month. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), DHS’s main investigative arm, which took down the group’s infrastructure in cooperation with international law enforcement partners, added that the cybercriminals also collected over $370 […]
FBI seizes $2.4M in Bitcoin from new Chaos ransomware operation
FBI Dallas has seized approximately 20 Bitcoins from a cryptocurrency address belonging to a Chaos ransomware member that is linked to cyberattacks and extortion payments from Texas companies. The crypto was seized on April 15, 2025, and was traced to an affiliate named “Hors,” who is suspected of launching the attacks against the companies. “The seized funds […]
BlackSuit ransomware extortion sites seized in Operation Checkmate
Law enforcement has seized the dark web extortion sites of the BlackSuit ransomware operation, which has targeted and breached the networks of hundreds of organizations worldwide over the past several years. The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed the takedown in an email earlier today, saying the authorities involved in the action executed a court-authorized seizure […]
US recovers $225 million of crypto stolen in investment scams
The U.S. Department of Justice has seized more than $225 million in cryptocurrency linked to investment fraud and money laundering operations, the largest crypto seizure in the history of the U.S. Secret Service. The state’s investigators used blockchain analysis to trace the funds stolen from over 400 victims, which were then laundered through a complex […]
Operation Secure disrupts global infostealer malware operations
An international law enforcement action codenamed “Operation Secure” targeted infostealer malware infrastructure in a massive crackdown across 26 countries, resulting in 32 arrests, data seizures, and server takedowns. Led by Interpol and conducted from January to April 2025, the operation focused on disrupting infostealer malware groups that steal financial and personal data through widespread infections. […]
Police takes down AVCheck site used by cybercriminals to scan malware
An international law enforcement operation has taken down AVCheck, a service used by cybercriminals to test whether their malware is detected by commercial antivirus software before deploying it in the wild. The service’s official domain at avcheck.net now displays a seizure banner with the crests of the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, the U.S. […]