Organized crime law used in cybercrime conviction for first time
Organized crime law used in cybercrime conviction for first time
By Jacob Kastrenakes on December 10, 2013 05:43 pm
A new tool for prosecuting cybercrime appears to have emerged from a Las Vegas courtroom. Using a law classically invoked for targeting mafia and gang members, a federal court convicted a member of a web forum being used to facilitate identity theft. According to Wired, this is the first time that this law — the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) — has been used to prosecute cybercrime, and it could find a broader use as online black markets like Silk Road continue to gain the attention of law enforcement.
With RICO, law enforcement can prosecute members of an organized crime organization, even if they aren't found to have directly committed a crime. In this case, prosecutors argued that members of the web forum "Carder.su" were part of a type of organized crime group, as they were required to go through a vetting process and to meet a number of security standards that would protect the forum from law enforcement.
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Re: Organized crime law used in cybercrime conviction for first time
This seems like a step in the right direction, at all levels cyber crime is so much more destructive than the old school methods of stealing. In terms of identity theft, I don't see how any of us can truly escape it at this point unless out of pure luck.
It will be interesting to see how international law enforcement handles these rings in the future. There was some discussion a bit back about the US teaming up with some foreign governments to crack down. But it really only takes a few places that turn a blind eye to keep these scam going in perpetuity.
Re: Organized crime law used in cybercrime conviction for first time
IMHO this might give some websites owners a cause to sweat as they make their money from members who are involved in and promoting the worldwide ponzis, scams, money-taking schemes and any other 'program' that lures people in to make money off the "investors"/fools who join.
Could it be a tool to frighten and close some of the worst online cybercrime promoters??
Re: Organized crime law used in cybercrime conviction for first time
Quote:
Originally Posted by
scratchycat
IMHO this might give some websites owners a cause to sweat as they make their money from members who are involved in and promoting the worldwide ponzis, scams, money-taking schemes and any other 'program' that lures people in to make money off the "investors"/fools who join.
Could it be a tool to frighten and close some of the worst online cybercrime promoters??
This is a good point Scratchy, a few sites I have looked at with hidden identities are hosted in the US, but based in who knows where. Could go a way to shut down some of the nonsense if the hosts were on the hook.
