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Online hacking, money laundering. Credit: Zephyr_p, Shutterstock
Man from Cork jailed for laundering €80k in crypto through cybercrime site.
After a joint investigation between Irish and US authorities, a 43-year old man from Cork was sentenced to 2 years in prison for laundering cryptocurrency and other cyber-related offenses.
Cybercrime network discovered in Cork
According to RTESuleman Mazhar who lived in Douglas in Cork was arrested in 2022 following a Garda National cyber crime Bureau (GNCCB) investigation with FBI assistance. Officers discovered that Mazhar sold fake bank accounts, fraudulent credit cards, malware and ransomware to disrupt computer systems.
Wes Kenny of Cork Circuit Criminal Court told that Mazhar had not commented during the interview. In 2021, the investigation into Mazhar’s online activities began and revealed his extensive international cybercrime dealings.
The GNCCB in Dublin is based in Walter Scott House and investigates serious cyberattacks. They often work with international law enforcement. FBI officers were in Cork at the time of Mazhar’s arrest, highlighting the fact that the case was international.
€80,000 laundered in crypto
Mazhar pleaded guilty last month to laundering cryptocurrency, which was valued at €80,000 at the time of his arrest but has since risen to €200,000. These funds have been forfeited.
He admitted that he had dishonestly used a computer in order to receive payment for the goods and services listed on this website with the intention of profiting or causing financial harm to other people.
Judge Helen Boyle described Mazhar’s actions as “deliberate criminal enterprises” focused on monetary gain. She acknowledged his early guilty confession saved the State money on a lengthy trial. However, she stressed that a severe sentence was needed to deter other people from committing cybercrime. Mazhar received a two-year prison sentence.
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