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FBI investigates the Singaporean charged for swindling Google & Amazon to mine crypto

FBI investigates the Singaporean charged for illegal crypto mining
FBI investigates the Singaporean charged for illegal crypto mining

A Singapore crook, Ho Jun Jia, also known as Matthew Ho, has been taken into custody for federal crimes related to alleged mining of cryptocurrencies using stolen computing power and services. As reported, Ho impersonated a game developer in order to obtain the power and steal time on cloud computing systems. He then used the power to process massive cryptocurrency-mining operations, procuring digital coins such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and several more. The scammer has been indicted with 14 wire frauds.

According to the documents of a Washington district court via the US department of justice, Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Services are the fallen victims of the fraud. He also used the identities of a Texas resident and an Indian tech company’s founder to obtain similar services from Google Cloud.

As reported, Ho consumed S$6.9 million worth of unpaid cloud computing services. If condemned, the swindler could be sentenced up to 20 years of imprisonment for wire frauds, and up to 10 years for device scam, along with two years behind bars for identity theft.

Currently, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Seattle Office is investigating the case with assistance from the United States Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, The SPF Technology Crime Investigation Branch, Attorney General’s Chambers of Singapore, and the FBI Legal Attaché Office.

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