One of the suspected ringleaders of an ATM heist nearly two years ago has been arrested in Spain, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said in a statement on Monday.
The investigation into the theft of more than NT$83 million (US$2.85 million at the current exchange rate) from state-run First Commercial Bank ATMs has lasted nearly 20 months and involved the joint efforts of Taiwanese authorities, the Spanish national police, the European Cybercrime Centre and private cybersecurity companies, the bureau said.
Identified only as Denys, the Russian is believed to be one of the leaders of a cybercrime syndicate called “Cobalt,” which is suspected of targeting banks, e-payment systems and financial institutions around the world using malware, known as Cobalt Strike, since 2016, the bureau said.
The group has allegedly infiltrated more than 100 financial institutions in 40 nations and stolen about 1 billion euros (US$1.2 billion).
A total of 22 suspects from six countries were involved in the high-profile theft in Taiwan from July 9 to July 11, 2016.
Nineteen of the suspects fled the nation and were placed on a wanted list.
Members of the international ring allegedly withdrew money from 51 First Commercial Bank ATMs in Taipei, New Taipei City and Taichung after using malware to hack into the bank’s computer system.
Authorities were alerted to the hack when members of the public in Taipei reported seeing two men collecting cash from an ATM in the middle of the night.
Police were able to track down and arrest three men — one who was allegedly indirectly involved in the heist and two who were allegedly in Taiwan to recover the money and transfer it out of the nation.
About NT$5.79 million of the stolen cash is still unaccounted for.
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