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Man charged of Laundering $19.6 Million earned with PBX system hacking

Pakistani citizen Muhammad Sohail Qasmani admits laundering Millions from massive computer hacking and telecommunications fraud scheme.

A Pakistani citizen, Muhammad Sohail Qasmani (47) admitted laundering millions of dollars as part of a massive international computer hacking and telecommunications fraud scheme.

The man worked for a hacking crew that targeted US companies by hacking into their PBX systems.

The organization composed by hackers in Bangkok and Pakhistan targeted American firms identifying live phone extensions that weren’t assigned to a user, the operation was allegedly run by Noor Aziz, 53, from Karachi.

The hackers used these extensions to dial premium-rate phone lines they managed, the gang had reaped more than $50m from its victims.

Muhammad Sohail Qasmani laundered US$19.6M and transmitted money to roughly 650 individuals over four years, the prosecutors sustain that the fraud scheme was a highly professional and well organized.

The man set up 650 bank accounts in ten different countries, the accounts were used to collect the money coming from fraudulent phone lines. The man then forwarded the funds to the other hackers, keeping his commission.

Qasmani was arrested by the FBI on December 22, 2014, when he entered in the US, if convicted, the man risks a maximum sentence of 20 years in jail and a $250,000 fine.

“Thanks to the hard work of the prosecutors and agents on this case, Qasmani acknowledged his role in an international scheme that hijacked the telephone networks of US companies and ran up millions in bogus charges,” said the US Attorney Paul Fishman.

“Today, he admitted moving over $19 million in illicit proceeds across 10 countries and ensuring the dialers and hackers who perpetuated the scheme received their cut.” “The successful investigation of Qasmani is a testament to the dedication, hard work, and commitment of the men and women of the FBI, the Enforcement and Removal Operations of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the State Department,”

While Qasmani will be sentenced in May, Aziz is still at large but present in the FBI’s Most Wanted list.

Pierluigi Paganini

(Security Affairs – money laundering, crime)

Pierluigi Paganini

Pierluigi Paganini is member of the ENISA (European Union Agency for Network and Information Security) Threat Landscape Stakeholder Group and Cyber G7 Group, he is also a Security Evangelist, Security Analyst and Freelance Writer. Editor-in-Chief at "Cyber Defense Magazine", Pierluigi is a cyber security expert with over 20 years experience in the field, he is Certified Ethical Hacker at EC Council in London. The passion for writing and a strong belief that security is founded on sharing and awareness led Pierluigi to find the security blog "Security Affairs" recently named a Top National Security Resource for US. Pierluigi is a member of the "The Hacker News" team and he is a writer for some major publications in the field such as Cyber War Zone, ICTTF, Infosec Island, Infosec Institute, The Hacker News Magazine and for many other Security magazines. Author of the Books "The Deep Dark Web" and “Digital Virtual Currency and Bitcoin”.