FBI, European police bust international cybercrime operation

German police on Monday announced the disruption of an international cybercrime organization that has been bringing in millions of dollars by blackmailing large companies for years. 

Dusseldorf police said that with the assistance of the FBI, Europol and Ukrainian authorities, they were able to identify 11 people linked to the group, which has operated under various names since 2010, according to the Associated Press.

More than 600 victims of the gang have been identified worldwide, with some of the most prominent victims being Britain’s National Health Service and Duesseldorf University Hospital. 

The group ran a professional recruitment operation by asking for references for previous cybercrime and luring new members by promising paid vacation, officials said.

Three of the suspects are affiliated with Russia and could not be apprehended, according to police.