On November 20, U.S. prosecutors announced criminal charges against five individuals associated with Scattered Spider, a cybercrime organization implicated in hacking numerous U.S. companies to steal sensitive data and cryptocurrency.
Martin Estrada, the U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles, reported that the accused executed phishing schemes by dispatching deceptive mass text messages to employees, falsely warning them of impending account deactivation.
The suspects, all in their late teens or early twenties at the time of the alleged offenses, directed victims to fraudulent websites to capture their login credentials, facilitating the theft of funds from both corporate and individual accounts, including millions in cryptocurrency.
The group reportedly targeted at least 12 companies across sectors such as gaming, outsourcing, telecommunications, and cryptocurrency, in addition to impacting hundreds of thousands of individuals.
The defendants include Tyler Buchanan, 22, from Scotland; Ahmed Elbadawy, 23, from College Station, Texas; Joel Evans, 25, from Jacksonville, North Carolina; Evans Osiebo, 20, from Dallas; and Noah Urban, 20, from Palm Coast, Florida.
Each defendant faces two counts of conspiracy and aggravated identity theft, with Buchanan also charged with wire fraud. Investigators identified Buchanan through domain registration records linked to phishing sites, notably under a username referencing the late actor Bob Saget.
Scattered Spider gained notoriety in September 2023 for breaching the networks of major casino operators Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts, demanding substantial ransom payments. Caesars reportedly paid approximately $15 million to restore its systems.
Estrada emphasized the growing sophistication of phishing and hacking, warning that such attacks can lead to significant financial losses. He urged vigilance when receiving suspicious communications.
Evans was apprehended in North Carolina, while Urban has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges in a separate Florida case. Legal representation for the other defendants remains unclear.