The United States has arrested five individuals at Germany’s request as part of a Germany-led, internationally coordinated investigation into online fraud and money laundering networks that exploited payment service providers, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) reported.
The five arrested—four US citizens and one Canadian—were taken into custody in California and made their first appearance in court on Wednesday.
According to the DOJ, the arrests were carried out in the Central District of California, with the individuals slated for extradition to Germany. This action is part of a broader crackdown targeting the organized cybercrime network responsible for massive financial fraud.
German authorities have previously arrested 18 suspects in a series of coordinated raids across multiple countries, including Singapore and Canada. In total, 44 individuals are believed to have been involved in the scheme, including six former employees of major German payment service providers.
The network reportedly stole credit card details from approximately 4.3 million people across 193 countries, causing significant financial and data security impacts worldwide.
The DOJ noted that the operators of the network collaborated with German payment processors, including executives and compliance officers, to facilitate the fraudulent transactions. This collusion enabled the processing of stolen payments on a large scale, highlighting vulnerabilities within global payment systems.
Authorities in both the US and Germany emphasized the importance of international cooperation in dismantling complex cybercrime operations. Investigators are continuing to follow leads and work with law enforcement agencies around the world to hold all participants accountable.
Officials have reiterated their commitment to protecting consumers and financial institutions from online fraud while pursuing legal action against those responsible. The arrests mark a significant step in the ongoing effort to combat international cybercrime and demonstrate the reach and coordination of global law enforcement networks in addressing financial crimes that cross borders.
