Lebanese National Indicted for Cybercrimes

Jackson, Miss – Rani Bin Muhammad Qubaysi, 29, of Beirut, Lebanon, has been charged in a two-count federal indictment with knowingly transmitting a program, information, code, or command causing damage to a protected computer, and extorting money by threatening to damage a protected computer, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze.

According to the indictment, Qubaysi, a Lebanese national, executed a distributed denial of service ("DDoS") attack on a Ridgeland, Mississippi business. Qubaysi utilized a computer in Beirut, Lebanon to extort payments from the business while conducting computer attacks to interfere with their computer business and operations.

If convicted on all charges, Qubaysi faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Kennedy.

The public is reminded that a criminal indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. It is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.