Authorities in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia have identified the ringleaders of a cybercriminal gang known as ‘Double Spider’, three suspects for whom arrest warrants are now pending and who have allegedly been involved in more than 600 attacks against institutions in several European countries.
In addition to the three identified, eight other people are being investigated, all in an operation involving both Europol and the FBI. The suspects under investigation are from Germany, Russia, Moldova and Ukraine.
One of the suspects, identified as a Russian national named Igor T, is also wanted by the FBI, which is offering a reward of five million dollars (more than four and a half million euros) to anyone who assists in his capture.
The group is responsible for at least 600 attacks on institutions worldwide and has affected thirteen European countries. In Germany they are accused, among other things, of being behind the attack on the IT services of a hospital in Düsseldorf in 2020, reports the ‘Allgemeine Zeitung’ newspaper.
They are also accused in the United Kingdom of attacking the UK health system with a computer virus, forcing 16 hospitals to shut down.
The Minister of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia, Herbert Reul, has explained to the media that among the members of the group there are »references and connections with the Russian intelligence service and with the mercenary paramilitary group Wagner».
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
