MONT BELVIEU, Texas (DMN) — Authorities have reported that a total of 40 individuals have been apprehended in connection with a fraudulent operation that resulted in the misappropriation of substantial sums of money from unsuspecting victims residing in the Houston region.
Officials report that the crew utilized financial data obtained from the dark web to carry out their operation.
“Crooks have nothing but time to figure out how to get your data,” Mont Belvieu Police Chief Jimmy Ellison said.
According to Mont Belvieu police, there are 35 residents in our area who have fallen victim to this scheme.
Authorities began investigating the case in June and have apprehended a total of 40 individuals so far. Several suspects were found living in different states, including Georgia and Illinois, with a significant number residing in Houston.
According to the police, the individuals responsible for leading the group are Gregory Edwards III, 23; Doc Frank, 25; Jayson Gipson, 20; and Lajewel McGilbray, 21.
All of them are facing charges of money laundering and involvement in organized criminal activity.
Edwards, Gipson, and McGilbray are facing charges for breaching computer security.
Authorities report that the individuals obtained financial data from the dark web, which had been compromised in data breaches, and subsequently utilized it to transfer funds from unsuspecting individuals’ accounts.
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Authorities have reported that the stolen money amounts to anywhere between $360,000 to $600,000.
Additional individuals were apprehended for their involvement in facilitating the transfer of stolen funds through their personal bank accounts.
“Once they get the information, they start making wire transfers out of the victim’s bank accounts. But, in order for them to be successful, they have to transfer that money into a clean account and that’s where they began recruiting other people,” Ellison explained.
“There are lots of other avenues of fraud, but that’s really the key one. If you’re using the same username and password every place you do business online, you’re going to get nailed at some point by somebody,” Bronk said.
Many individuals were friends and family, while others were brought in through social media.
The victims in this case did not fall for any online scams or disclose their bank passwords. One morning, they discovered that funds had mysteriously disappeared from their accounts.
According to him, there is little else customers can do when it comes to companies being hacked. It is incumbent upon businesses to improve.
“You’re never going to be in a foolproof position, but you want to be a harder target than the next guy,” Bronk said.
In regards to the fraud investigation, Mont Belvieu police are continuing their efforts to locate a few additional individuals they suspect were involved.
Source: ABC-13 News