A 19-year-old from the United Kingdom has been charged in connection with a sweeping cyber extortion campaign that targeted critical U.S. infrastructure, private companies, and even the American court system. The investigation, which involved police agencies worldwide including the RCMP, was led by the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice.

The accused, identified as Thalha Jubair, allegedly operated under multiple online aliases such as "EarthtoStar," "Brad," "Austin," and "@autistic." According to U.S. officials, Jubair was part of a hacking collective known as "Scattered Spider," also called "Octo Tempest," "UNC3944," and "0ktapus." The group is accused of carrying out at least 120 cyberattacks between May 2022 and September 2025, compromising the systems of 47 American organizations.

Authorities say the hackers gained unauthorized access to networks, encrypted sensitive data, and then demanded ransom payments to restore access and prevent public leaks. Victims reportedly paid more than US$115 million in ransom, with funds funneled through cryptocurrency wallets allegedly controlled by Jubair. At one point in July 2024, he is accused of moving US$8.4 million in crypto during a law enforcement seizure operation.

The alleged crimes include conspiracies to commit computer fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. The DOJ says ransom proceeds from at least five victims were tied directly to servers under Jubair's control, while additional funds were laundered through virtual wallets.

If convicted, Jubair faces up to 95 years in prison. Officials stress that the allegations have not yet been proven in court. Alongside the FBI and RCMP, police forces in the Netherlands, Romania, and Australia also contributed to the case, underscoring the international scope of the investigation.