According to the FBI, 28-year-old Hector Xavier Monsegur, an unemployed computer programmer and father of two children, is Sabu, "the head of LulzSec, and the de facto King of Anonymous — easily the most notorious and influential hacker alive today," as Fox News put it.
Earlier today, the feds announced charges against the last members of the now-defunct LulzSec, accusing them of orchestrating an online assault against corporations, defense contractors, security firms and government sites, including the CIA.
As multiple outlets have reported, Monsegur had been working as a government informant since the FBI charged him with various hacking crimes last August.
Gizmodo has a lot more here .... and here... Gawker's coverage is here.
More later...
Wow, this is definitely one of the more amazing crime stories to come out of the LES since Alejandro Lopez was busted in 1988 after a massive manhunt.
ReplyDeleteAs a computer professional, I would have laughed in your face had you told me LulzSec was based at Jacob Riis. I would have said "No that's just those Chinese and/or Dutch hackers having a little fun with the FBI."
How much more wrong can you be?
was there a massive police raid today?
ReplyDeletemaybe the JR will be forfeited?
I-)
"was there a massive police raid today?"
ReplyDeleteNo, they grabbed this guy last year and flipped him. He's states evidence now.
If the leader of a crime gang is working for the FBI, then aren't all the crimes effectively orchestrate by the FBI...Isn't it just one big entrapment scam?
ReplyDeleteScum. Hope he ends up in jail despite becoming an informant. What pisses me off most is that this went on in public housing, while thousands of honest New Yorkers in genuine need await housing assistance in vain. NOW he's concerned about the kids and not wanting to go to jail? Should have thought about it before becoming a criminal in grandma's subsidized apartment. This guy needs to go to jail and not keep on living on everybody else's dime or as a star witness.
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:48: EXACTLY!
ReplyDeleteFolks engaged in monkey-wrenching, whether physical or cyber, ought to never join groups unless they deal strictly with long time friends or family.
Operating in small tight-knit cells makes it next to impossible for infiltration and much less likely for betrayal. As an infinite number of such cells are possible, they can be untraceable and therefore are collectively effective.
@ anonymous 1048; Are you assuming he is the "leader"? Is there a leader ? I read that his "cooperation" prevented hundreds of hacks. The Feds usually give the first guy caught a great deal to give up everyone else.
ReplyDeleteWell this is Interesting. I was just on Slashdot and I thought I hadn't left for a second.
ReplyDelete