Video Transcript

Hi, my name is Michael Christman and I’m the special agent in charge of the FBI office in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States.

I’m proud to stand with our law enforcement partners from around the globe to announce this major indictment. The QQAAZZ group and its members opened and maintained hundreds of bank accounts at financial institutions in numerous countries throughout the world. They utilized these bank accounts to receive and launder money stolen by cybercriminals from unsuspecting victims and their respective financial institutions, including here in the Western District of Pennsylvania. 

This has been an extensive investigation, involving partners from more than a dozen countries. Unfortunately, these types of transnational organized cyber investigations are not the first of its kind and I’m sure it won’t be the last. The FBI, and our partners will continue to work tirelessly to combat these cyber threats. Cyber threats are increasing, not just in size and scope, but also in their complexity. I can tell you the FBI is engaged in numerous efforts to combat cyber threats, from improving threat identification and information sharing, to examining the way we operate to disrupt and defeat these threats. I want to thank all of our partners across the globe who helped secure the charges against these 20 people. Without you, these types of investigations would be far more difficult.

Thank you.