Two Suspected Scattered Spider Hackers Face New Charges in U.S. Healthcare Attacks
Two young men, Thalha Jubair, 19, and Owen Flowers, 18, are set to appear in the supreme court this Thursday. They face additional charges following alleged attacks on U.S. healthcare companies SSM Health Care Corporation and Sutter Health. Prosecutors aim to keep them in custody until trial.
Jubair and Flowers, members of the Scattered Spider cybercriminal group, were arrested at their homes in East London and Walsall on Tuesday. They are already charged with conspiring to commit unauthorized acts against Transport for London (TfL).
Jubair faces an extra charge for refusing to provide passcodes to investigators. Both men will appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court at 2 p.m. on Thursday. This follows the arrest of two suspected members of the Scattered Spider collective last year for the TfL hack.
The National Cyber Crime Unit is investigating various cases, including the TfL hack and attacks on the Legal Aid Agency, NHS, and retailers. The maximum sentence for the charges is life imprisonment.
The court will decide on remanding Jubair and Flowers in custody until trial. The men will have their say in court on Thursday. Contempt of court laws remind us not to prejudice the jury trial by suggesting their guilt or innocence.
