A Russian man has pleaded guilty to his part in a 2008 cyber-attack on RBS WorldPay's computer network, which led to the theft of over $9.4 million, according to press reports.
Yevgeny Anikin was part of a gang behind the attack on WorldPay's systems, which compromised the encryption used by the processor to protect customer data on payroll debit cards.
This allowed the criminals to raise the limits on accounts before handing over 44 counterfeit payroll debit cards to a network of "cashers" who withdrew over $9 million in less than 12 hours from more than 2100 ATMs in at least 280 cities worldwide, including in the US, Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Italy, Hong Kong, Japan and Canada.
According to local press reports, Anikin used proceeds from the con to buy two apartments in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk as well as a luxury car.
The crook - who has been under house arrest since 2009 - reportedly told a court "I want to say that I repent and fully admit my guilt" before receiving a five year suspended sentence, says RIA News.
Last year, one of the masterminds behind the attack, Viktor Pleshchuk, escaped with a six year suspended sentence from a Russian court. His fellow ringleader, Estonian Sergei Tsurikov has been less fortunate; he was extradited to the US to face charges which, if found guilty could see him jailed for up to 35 years.
Russian hacker avoids jail over $10 million cyber theft - RIA News