A former general manager at a US defense contractor has pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of trade secrets after admitting to selling sensitive cyber tools to a Russian broker in exchange for millions of dollars.

Prosecutors said that over a three-year period, Peter Williams abused his access at Trenchant, a subsidiary of L3 Harris, to steal at least eight “zero-day” exploits developed for exclusive use by the US government and its allies.

According to court documents, between 2022 and 2025, Williams secretly exfiltrated the classified software components from the company’s secure network. He then sold the secrets to a Russian entity that advertised itself as a reseller of hacking tools, including to clients linked to the Russian government.

Investigators said Williams received millions of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency in exchange for the stolen materials. He allegedly entered into multiple written contracts with the broker, agreeing to both an upfront payment and ongoing support fees for the exploits. The data was transmitted through encrypted channels, and Williams reportedly used the illicit proceeds to purchase luxury goods. He now faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count. Sentencing is scheduled for early 2026.

A former Virgin Media O2 employee fined for data protection breach

A British man has pleaded guilty to illegally obtaining and disclosing personal data in breach of the Data Protection Act, following a prosecution by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Luke Coleman, a former employee of British telecom company Virgin Media O2, admitted to selling confidential customer information to a family friend. The data was later used in a boiler room fraud operation connected to a wider crypto scam.

The said friend had previously pleaded guilty to assisting an offense under the Data Protection Act but was acquitted by a jury of conspiracy to defraud. The scam defrauded at least 65 investors of more than £1.5 million. The ringleaders behind the operation were sentenced to a combined total of 12 years in prison for their roles in the scheme.

Coleman was suspended by Virgin Media O2 after his actions were discovered. A fine is the maximum penalty for the offense Coleman committed. He was fined £384, ordered to pay a £38 victim surcharge, and contribute £500 toward prosecution costs.

Kazakhstan dismantles transnational online fraud network

Kazakh authorities have dismantled a transnational network of internet fraudsters operating across Russia. The operation was part of ongoing international efforts to combat criminal groups targeting citizens of Kazakhstan and other CIS countries.

According to officials, law enforcement officers conducted coordinated raids in three Russian regions during which several individuals were detained for organizing a large-scale scheme involving the supply and mass activation of SIM cards used in online fraud schemes.

Authorities seized 11 SIM-box devices, 3 laptops, 31 mobile phones, and more than 19,000 SIM cards from Kazakhstan and various European countries. The seized laptops contained log files with detailed records of SIM card activations dating back to early 2023, which were allegedly used to conduct fraudulent phone calls.

Investigators have already identified several cases in which the confiscated phone numbers were used for criminal activities. Four Russian citizens have been arrested in connection with the case, and further investigative and operational measures are underway to determine the full extent of the network’s activities.

A Nigerian man linked to “Black Axe” cybercrime group repatriated from Italy

The Immigration Office of the Vibo Valentia Police Headquarters has carried out the expulsion of a Nigerian citizen convicted of mafia-type association, under an order issued by the supervisory magistrate of Catanzaro as an alternative to imprisonment.

The operation was part of Italy’s national OSCAR Plan (Extraordinary Operations of Control, Escort, and Repatriation of Irregular Immigrants).

The man, who had served time in prison, was identified as a member of the transnational criminal organization known as “Black Axe,” notorious for crimes, including online fraud, identity theft, use of cloned credit cards and fake passports, as well as drug trafficking and human smuggling.

In October 2022, Interpol and international partners arrested 75 suspected members of “Black Axe” as part of a major crackdown on West African cybercrime syndicates codenamed “Operation Jakal.”

Given his criminal background and irregular immigration status, police officers escorted the man from Vibo Valentia to Rome Fiumicino Airport, where he was deported to Nigeria.

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The Philippine police nabs two for SMS blaster scam linked to Chinese ringleader

The Philippine National Police (PNP) arrested two suspects for operating mobile SMS blasters across Metro Manila, sending spam messages that posed as legitimate communications from major telecommunications companies.

The suspects were apprehended in Makati City and Mandaluyong City, respectively. Both are Filipino nationals and were reportedly unknown to each other prior to their arrest. Authorities say, however, that both men were taking instructions from the same Chinese ringleader, working through a Filipina intermediary.

According to the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, the men drove around crowded areas, including shopping malls and commercial districts, while using portable SMS blasters to send thousands of “smishing” messages. The texts impersonated telecom providers and lured victims with fake reward offers that redirected to phishing websites designed to steal personal and financial information.

Police seized four SMS blasters in total, two from each suspect. Officials said the gang, which both suspects worked for, had ‘compartmentalized’ their operations to manage the risk of the police disrupting the entire criminal enterprise.