UK tax authorities under attack: Romanian police pursuit of hacker gang responsible for illicit UK tax refunds
In a significant development, the Romanian Police, in collaboration with EUROJUST and British authorities, have conducted a series of raids following a year-long investigation into a cyberattack on the UK's tax system. The raids, which took place on Thursday, July 10, saw 13 house searches in Bucharest and the counties of Ilfov, Giurgiu, and Călărași.
The investigation has revealed that a group of hackers allegedly infiltrated over a thousand British taxpayers' accounts in the "Government Gateway" system, starting from September 2023. The hacked accounts' data was manipulated, and fraudulent accounts were created using social security numbers to register fake companies.
The hacking resulted in the obtaining of fictitious tax refunds totalling over EUR 1.16 million. These fraudulently requested refunds were paid into bank accounts in the United Kingdom controlled by the suspects. After payment, the money was either transferred to other accounts or withdrawn in cash from ATMs.
The suspects, a total of 16 Romanian citizens, are alleged to have committed hacking, fraud, and money laundering. The source of the information is the Romanian police, as indicated by the photo source: Politia Romana on YouTube.
The timeline of events extends beyond July 10, as the hacking activities continued until the present. The total amount of fraudulently obtained tax refunds is over EUR 1.16 million. The fraudulent activities primarily focused on obtaining income tax and other tax refunds.
The 16 suspects investigated in connection with the cyberattack on the British tax system and the subsequent fraud scheme and money laundering have not been publicly named or detailed. The Romanian police will continue to work closely with their British counterparts to bring those responsible to justice.
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