The United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) recently indicted thirty-six individuals leading a global cybercrime ring for allegedly trafficking in stolen personal and financial information.

According to authorities, the online criminal operation spanned the course of seven years. DOJ officials estimate that the fraud ring netted approximately $530 million in illicit profits from financial institutions and individual consumers throughout the world, including victims from all fifty states.

Prosecutors indicted thirty-six people it alleges were the leaders of the criminal organization “Infraud” on racketeering charges. Some defendants also face charges for possession of stolen credit card numbers and aiding and abetting. The indictment describes the various ranks of leadership within the criminal enterprise and how each contributed to and furthered the criminal activity.

The indictment was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada. It describes the defendants as leaders of Infraud and a fairly sophisticated group engaged in a joint criminal enterprise with the goal of stealing and/or creating counterfeit financial information to sell for profit. The organization also allegedly hosted a website that served as an online global hub, facilitating the purchase and sale of personal and financial information, including credit card information and logins for financial institution accounts. Other “vendors” could also join the website to sell such illicit materials after approval by the Infraud leaders. Those defendants indicted include the alleged leaders and creators of the organization.

The criminal organization’s slogan was “In Fraud We Trust.”  According to the DOJ, as of 2017, Infraud’s discussion forum had more than 10,000 member accounts.

The first superseding indictment is available here.