US investigators recover the majority of Colonial Pipeline ransom paid to hackers

[libertybele]

US investigators recover the majority of Colonial Pipeline ransom paid to hackers

The Department of Justice announced on Monday that investigators were able to recover most of the ransom paid to hackers who interrupted operations at Colonial Pipeline last month.

The DOJ’s recovery effort was carried out alongside the FBI and Colonial Pipeline, and began shortly after the ransom was paid to the DarkSide criminal enterprise group, which is believed to have connections to Russia.

The seizure announced on Monday was conducted by a recently launched ransomware and digital extortion task force, which was able to track bitcoin transactions. It was the group’s first operation of its kind, investigators said during a press conference on Monday.

Colonial Pipeline CEO Joseph Blount first said during an interview with The Wall Street Journal that he paid $4.4 million in cryptocurrency to free the company’s systems.

About 63.7 bitcoins have been recovered, with an estimated value of about $2.3 million, according to the DOJ. The company paid about 75 bitcoins in ransom, according to authorities..........

https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/us-investigators-recover-majority-ransom-colonial-pipeline-paid-hackers

[Sled Dog]

Well.

The DoJ can track some missing money, but can't indict Hillary for 150 proven violations of the Espionage Act.

[mystery-ak]

US Recovers Millions In Colonial Pipeline Ransom


Thomas Catenacci
Reporter
June 07, 2021 4:02 PM ET


The U.S. government recovered much of the cryptocurrency ransom payment worth approximately $4.4 million that Colonial Pipeline made to hackers last month, the Justice Department announced.

U.S. law enforcement was able to track and seize the transaction back to a cryptocurrency wallet belonging to DarkSide, the eastern European group that conducted the cyberattack on Colonial Pipeline last month, Department of Justice (DOJ) officials said during a press conference Monday afternoon. Investigators credited Colonial Pipeline’s decision to immediately notify law enforcement when it was hacked with its ability to seize the money.

“After Colonial Pipeline’s quick notification to law enforcement and pursuant to a seizure warrant issued by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California earlier today, the Department of Justice has found and recaptured the majority of the ransom Colonial paid to the DarkSide network in the wake of last month’s ransomware attack,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said during the press conference.

Monaco added that the DOJ will continue to pursue similar cyberattack cases that have recently occurred. DarkSide and its affiliates have been “digitally stalking” U.S. companies for much of the last year, she noted.

more
https://dailycaller.com/2021/06/07/department-of-justice-colonial-pipeline-merrick-garland/

[libertybele]

Well.

The DoJ can track some missing money, but can't indict Hillary for 150 proven violations of the Espionage Act.

She will always be exempt from any wrongdoing and above the law.  Always.

[GtHawk]

The people doing this are terrorists and such should be subject to the same penalties any other terrorist is, prison...............if they survive.

[Free Vulcan]

Of course the FedGov doesn't like cryptocurrency, and this little episode has taken bitcoin down a few notches.

Convenient.

Call me skeptical till the perps are verified.

[Smokin Joe]

She will always be exempt from any wrongdoing and above the law.  Always.

Until she faces the final Judge, perhaps. But this is just an eyeblink, and that verdict eternal.

[Smokin Joe]

The people doing this are terrorists and such should be subject to the same penalties any other terrorist is, prison...............if they survive.

I liked the Soleimani solution...and it sent a message to those who support terrorism.

[DB]

The people doing this are terrorists and such should be subject to the same penalties any other terrorist is, prison...............if they survive.

Apparently they are Russian.

[GtHawk]

Apparently they are Russian.

Russian, Iranian, Turk, Canadian, American, who GAS! Terrorism and terrorists should be dealt with the same way no matter where they were born or live. And I include the members of Antifa and BLM that commit terrorist acts.

[DB]

Russian, Iranian, Turk, Canadian, American, who GAS! Terrorism and terrorists should be dealt with the same way no matter where they were born or live. And I include the members of Antifa and BLM that commit terrorist acts.

The problem is jurisdiction. Russia protects them - assuming the Russian government isn't directly responsible. Anything the drives the cost of oil up is a winner for Russia.