back to article Russian cybercriminals steal $790 million in three years

Kaspersky investigation unit boss Ruslan Stoyanov says a Russian cyber scum group of just 20 professional hackers has made a tidy $790 million in three years by emptying the world's bank accounts. Stoyanov says some $509 million is thought to have been ripped from the wallets of individuals and businesses from the US, and …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Profit split

    Are the profits split equally in these groups, or do the top organisers get most of the cash, like most non-criminal organisations?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Profit split

      do the top organisers get most of the cash, like most non-criminal organisations

      No, that would be criminal. Oh, wait ..

      BTW: I am not sure the organisations you describe as non-criminal actually are (and not just banks :) ). From where I sit quite a few are only non-criminal because they either haven't been caught yet or have paid off the policing agency. Which, by a remarkable coincidence, is again also a feature of some criminal setups..

  2. b0llchit Silver badge
    Alert

    Subsidiary in Bermuda

    "To a certain extent, the structure reflects that of an ordinary, average-sized company engaged in software development,"

    So, do they pay taxes? Or are they also versed in the Double Dutch Sandwich to evade any waste of hard earned dosh?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Subsidiary in Bermuda

      They are versed in it for other reasons (or actually the same) - their version is a money laundry system. Stolen money goes in, after a few transfers its traces are lost and clean money goes out. The countries participating and the money end-destination is pretty much the same as in tax evasion.

      1. ratfox

        Re: Subsidiary in Bermuda

        It's my understanding that the government cares about you paying taxes a lot more than they care about how you get your money. Gaining money illegally and not pay tax on it is a lot harder than gaining money illegally, declare it as income, and pay tax.

  3. Tony S

    It's also quite possible that some of the lower echelon staff don't actually know that they're working for a criminal gang.

    Just thinking of the Simpson's episode, "You only move twice"

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4FwrBk-QD0

  4. Hargrove

    For further reading:

    I did not see any references in this article, but the following sites provide additional information.

    http://www.kaspersky.com/about/news/virus/2015/Russian-language-cybercrime-95-of-incidents-are-about-stealing-money

    https://securelist.com/analysis/publications/72782/russian-financial-cybercrime-how-it-works/

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