February 12, 2024 at 06:15PM
The FBI dismantled the Warzone RAT malware operation, arresting two individuals associated with the cybercrime and seizing its infrastructure. Daniel Meli, 27, a resident of Malta, was arrested for his involvement. He is accused of distributing the malware and could face up to 15 years in prison if extradited to the United States.
It appears that the FBI has successfully dismantled the Warzone RAT malware operation by seizing infrastructure and arresting two individuals associated with the cybercrime operation.
Daniel Meli, a 27-year-old resident of Malta, was arrested for his involvement in the proliferation of Warzone RAT. He faces significant accusations related to unauthorized damage to protected computers, selling and advertising an electronic interception device, and participating in a conspiracy to commit several computer intrusion offenses. Meli was arrested in a coordinated operation carried out by the Malta Police Force, the Office of the Attorney General of Malta, and supported by the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) and the FBI.
Additionally, a federal grand jury in the District of Massachusetts issued a second indictment targeting Prince Onyeoziri Odinakachi, 31, of Nigeria, who is accused of providing customer support to cybercriminals purchasing access to Warzone RAT. Odinakachi was also arrested in Nigeria simultaneously with Meli’s arrest and the takedown of the malware’s selling domains.
The international law enforcement effort led by the FBI has resulted in the identification and confiscation of server infrastructure linked to the malware in several countries, including Canada, Croatia, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Romania.
The U.S. DoJ announcement mainly implicates Meli in the distribution and customer support for the malware, and it is currently unclear if he is the original author or creator of Warzone RAT. The Northern District of Georgia is seeking Meli’s extradition from Malta to the United States, where he will stand trial.
Meli faces a total of 15 years in prison, supervised release, and significant fines for the charges against him.