UFC.com Hacker ‘JoshTheGod’ Arrested in Credit Card Fraud Sting

(Hitlerchan: The deadliest Pokemon of them all.) 

Perhaps you recall that some five months ago, the UFC’s website was hacked by a group of cyber Nazi’s, who in turn released Dana White’s personal information, including social security numbers, phone numbers, net worth, etc. in a response to White’s rallying support of the SOPA bill. We were originally informed that one of the culprits behind all this, known to the Internet world as JoshTheGod, was a thirteen year old Australian computer whiz, by crikey, but recent events have proven otherwise.

As it turns out, JoshTheGod is actually Mir Islam, and he was hauled in yesterday along with over two dozen other individuals spread across thirteen countries as part of a sting stemming from a two-year undercover operation known as Operation Card Shop. According to our inside sources, the capture of these individuals was led by an officer named Axel Foley, who had been assigned to, as he put it, “a multi-jurisdictional federal taskforce on organized crime” some twenty five years ago (Ed note: Now THAT’s preparation). After leading police on a chase across greater Detroit while still undercover, a chase that resulted in the deaths of 8 people and the destruction of 16 police vehicles, 7 fire hydrants, a magazine kiosk, and a stolen cement truck, Foley was able to apprehend each and every one of the suspects that he had not already gunned down in the chase.

The Underground has the story:

Federal officials said Operation Card Shop, as the sting is being called, was unusually broad and represented a significant step in combating credit card fraud, which has grown notably more sophisticated recently.

The online forum, one law enforcement official said, was “like a restricted eBay,” open only to people who had a reputation and who had been vouched for by someone on the site. Besides the financial data, hacking tips, malware, spyware and access to stolen goods, like iPads and iPhones, were also possible on the site, the official said.

Many of the 11 individuals arrested in the United States offered specialized skills and products on the sting site. One, who used the screen name xVisceral, offered remote access tools known as RATS that would spy on computers and Web cameras; the programs sold for $50 a copy.

Another, Mir Islam, known as JoshTheGod, sold stolen credit card information and had data on 50,000 credit card accounts, according to the United States attorney for the Southern District. He was arrested after buying cards from an undercover agent and trying to use one at an A.T.M. on Eighth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.

The New York Times continues:

Mr. Islam is accused of helping to operate additional forums, UGNazi.com andCarders.org, both of which were seized by the F.B.I. A lawyer for Mr. Islam declined to comment.

Other people arrested offered to ship stolen merchandise and arrange drop services so items like sunglasses, air purifiers and synthetic marijuana could be picked up.

Two individuals were arrested in New York, nine elsewhere in the United States and 13 in a dozen other countries, according to an F.B.I. spokeswoman.

In addition to arresting purveyors of stolen credit card information, authorities also aimed to trap people who created fake credit cards. The information included credit card numbers, addresses, Social Security numbers, mothers’ maiden names and details of bank accounts.

Some people who bought software and other items on the sting site purchased products from retailers like Apple and Walmart.

“The coordinated law enforcement actions taken by an unprecedented number of countries around the world today demonstrate that hackers and fraudsters cannot count on being able to prowl the Internet in anonymity and with impunity, even across national boundaries,” said Preet Bharara, United States attorney for the Southern District of New York.

In addition to luring hackers onto the site, federal authorities also monitored the discussion threads that sprang up, as specialized hackers sold their wares. The site was created in June 2010 and shut last month.

Assistant director for the FBI, Janice K. Fedarcyk, stated that the arrests would result in “significant disruption to the underground economy.” As of now, the number of people reportedly arrested stands at 26.

Although Islam is innocent until proven guilty, we cannot help but express our disappointment in him. Because, when he was just hacking into DW’s personal information and releasing it to the general public, it was basically a victimless crime.

*looks over shoulder*

Hell, he even had a cause behind what he was doing; he was almost like an Internet freedom fighter, if you will, and that in its own twisted way is kind of respectable. But as was the case with George Jung, he just had to get greedy. We can’t say we’re surprised that a man with enough hubris to call himself “God” would pull this kind of stunt, but disappointed nonetheless.

It will undoubtedly be a while before we are made aware of exactly what charges and sentence he may be facing in federal pound-me-in-the-ass-prison, but will we keep you informed as things transpire.

-J. Jones