Suspect arrested for allegedly running ‘largest ever’ cybercrime botnet | Global News

A Chinese national has been arrested by an international law enforcement team for running a major botnet that generated at least $99 million in profits over nearly a decade. Yunhe Wang, 35, was apprehended in Singapore, where authorities also seized $29 million in cryptocurrency.

The botnet, known as the 911 S5, consisted of malware-infected computers in nearly 200 countries and was used by cybercriminals for identity theft, child exploitation, financial fraud, and pandemic relief scams. FBI Director Christopher Wray described it as likely the world’s largest botnet.

According to an indictment filed in Texas’ eastern district, Wang sold access to the network of over 19 million Windows computers, with more than 613,000 located in the United States. Criminals who purchased access from Wang were responsible for over $5.9 billion in estimated losses due to fraud against relief programs, including 560,000 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims.

Wang allegedly managed the botnet through 150 dedicated servers, half of which were leased from US-based online service providers. The indictment also revealed that Wang used his illicit gains to purchase 21 properties in various countries, including the United States, China, Singapore, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and St. Kitts and Nevis, where he obtained citizenship through investment.

The US Department of Justice expressed gratitude to authorities in Singapore and Thailand for their assistance in the investigation. This arrest marks a significant milestone in the fight against cybercrime and the protection of individuals and financial institutions from malicious activities.