Crooks Who Stole $600,000 From Catholic Diocese Said Money Was for Clergy Sex Abuse Victims
Summary: Organized cyber thieves stole more than $600,000 from the Catholic Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa between Aug. 13 and Aug. 16, apparently after stealing the diocese's online banking credentials, and roughly $180,000 has been recovered to date. The funds were moved out of the United States through dozens of unwitting money mules recruited via work-at-home job scams, including a Georgia man who received almost $30,000 and was told the money was for clergy sex abuse settlements.
What's compelling: The operation was run by recruited intermediaries who believed they were processing legitimate payments, so the diocese's loss moved through ordinary bank accounts and wire services rather than a single visible intrusion. Law enforcement described the theft as the work of a highly sophisticated overseas operation, and the bishop noted that such criminal activity is rampant.
Read the original at Krebs on Security ↗
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