British teen accused of role in cyberattacks extorting $115M

The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday charged Thalha Jubair for his role in cyberattacks that extorted at least $115 million from U.S. entities. The 19-year-old British citizen is accused of conspiracy to commit computer fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Over the last three years, he carried out 120 computer network intrusions against 47 entities in the United States, according to the DOJ.

Jubair and another teenager believed to have engaged in cyberattacks were arrested Tuesday, according to the U.K.’s National Crime Agency. British authorities believe Jubair and 18-year-old Owen Flowers were involved in a cyberattack last year on the London Transport Authority.

How did the ransomware scheme work? Jubair and a group under his guidance, sometimes called Scattered Spider, allegedly forced victims to hand over high ransom payments for their data, according to the DOJ. Among their targets were an American critical infrastructure company and the U.S. Courts’ network system, according to the DOJ.

Jubair is considered legally innocent until proven guilty in court. If found guilty, he could receive up to 95 years in prison, according to a news release from the DOJ.

Dig deeper: Read Lauren Canterberry’s report on charges against eight people for a Minnesota housing fraud scheme.