Turnaround in the United States: Sébastien Raoult, a Frenchman accused of cybercrime, pleads guilty. He admits his fault in the face of the charges weighing on him.
The judicial reversal
Arrested in Morocco last year, the 22-year-old student finally confessed to two major offenses before American justice: identity theft and electronic fraud. The facts took place between April 2020 and July 2021. The trial was initially scheduled for next year by the Western District of Washington prosecutor’s office, but the institution has just confirmed the accused’s admission of the offenses.
If the young man admitted the charges, it is because the American federal police have gathered overwhelming evidence against him: compromising exchanges on Discord as well as a detection of his IP address used to access malicious sites. Two crucial elements which worked against him during his arrest in Morocco in 2022. He was subsequently extradited to the United States for his trial.
Shadow of the ShinyHunters
Sébastien Raoult did not act alone, and was an active member of a group of French hackers: the ShinyHunters. Although some of the members of the cybercrime cell tried to defend him, it was not enough. A friend of the accused explained: “ We are not a gang of cybercriminals, we are a group of IT enthusiasts “. A speech aimed at exonerating the group’s actions, but the facts remain extremely serious.
Known under the pseudonym “Sezyo Kaizen”, the hacker admitted that he had created several phishing pages targeting numerous American companies. Victims experienced unwitting installation of cryptomining software, data theft and extortion. Among them, GitHub, Pixlr, Tokopedia, Bonobos and Nitro. These companies estimate their losses at more than $6 million.
A little ride smoothly led by the ShinyHunters, but which did not last very long. The legal consequences for young Sébastien Raoult could be very serious. For the moment, the duration of the custodial sentence and the amount of the fine are not known, but it is certain that the American justice system will not let go of him any time soon.
Source : The world
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