TechFlow, September 19 — According to the U.S. Department of Justice, British citizen Thalha Jubair has been charged for participating in at least 120 cyber intrusions and ransomware attacks affecting 47 U.S. entities, with victims paying over $115 million in ransom.
The indictment alleges that 19-year-old Jubair, using aliases such as "EarthtoStar," "Brad," and "Austin," collaborated with a cybercriminal group known as "Scattered Spider" to gain unauthorized access to networks through social engineering techniques, steal and encrypt data, and then extort ransom payments from victims. The group also targeted critical infrastructure companies and the U.S. court system.
In July 2024, law enforcement seized servers and successfully confiscated approximately $36 million worth of cryptocurrency. Jubair faces multiple charges including computer fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, carrying a maximum sentence of up to 95 years in prison.
