Zotob computer worm creator "Diabl0" captured in Thailand over banking fraud

Originally published March 19, 2014

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An infamous Russian hacker who reportedly caused billions of dollars in damages to Swiss banking systems was arrested in a joint operation by Thai and Swiss authorities on Tuesday after three years on the run.

Thai police told the Bangkok Post that they had arrested Farid Essebar at a condominium on Rama IV Road in downtown Bangkok. The computer hacker had been wanted by Swiss police since 2011.

The Moroccan-Russian national is accused of hacking into the IT systems of various financial institutions and duplicating online banking website pages. Essebar, who goes with the screen name "Diabl0", is alleged to have duped thousands of people in Europe who used the fake website of US$4 billion.

An investigation revealed that the hacker and three of his accomplices had been in Thailand for three years, but had visited Hong Kong and neighbouring countries. Authorities said they did not buy any assets in Thailand, or gamble.

The 27-year-old is expected to be sent to Switzerland within 90 days under the terms of a Swiss-Thai extradition agreement.

The arrest does not represent the first Essebar has been prosecuted for cyber crimes. The hacker was behind the creation of a computer worm named Zotob that attacked the computer systems of various companies including CNN, ABC News, The New York Times, Caterpillar, United Parcel Service, Boeing as well as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. He was convicted of hacking in 2005 and jailed for one year.

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