A Virginia man was found guilty of conspiring to destroy dozens of US government databases after being fired from his job as a federal contractor, prosecutors said.

Sohaib Akhter, 34, and his twin brother, Muneeb Akhter, were previously convicted in 2016 for illegally accessing State Department systems and stealing personal information from co-workers and a federal investigator. After serving prison sentences, the brothers were rehired as contractors by a company that hosted government data for more than 45 federal agencies in Ashburn, Virginia.

According to court documents, the brothers were fired during a remote online meeting, after the company discovered Sohaib Akhter’s prior felony conviction. In revenge, the pair accessed company systems without authorization and deleted nearly 96 government databases within hours.

The destroyed data reportedly included sensitive investigative records from multiple federal agencies and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) documents. The brothers allegedly used commands to lock databases before deleting them and later attempted to cover their tracks by wiping company laptops and destroying evidence.

In November 2025, both men were charged with computer fraud, destruction of records, aggravated identity theft, and theft of government information. Sohaib Akhter is scheduled to be sentenced on September 9, 2026, and faces up to 21 years in prison. Muneeb Akhter faces a maximum sentence of 45 years on multiple computer fraud and identity theft charges.

German authorities dismantle Crimenetwork 2.0, arrest alleged operator

German authorities have shut down a relaunched version of the Crimenetwork underground marketplace and arrested its alleged operator in a coordinated international law enforcement operation.

The original Crimenetwork platform, believed to have been Germany’s largest cybercrime marketplace, operated for more than a decade after launching in 2012. The site facilitated the sale of stolen data, illegal digital services, narcotics, and other illicit goods, attracting more than 100,000 registered users.

The reanimated marketplace attracted more than 22,000 users and over 100 vendors, generating at least €3.6 million ($4.2 million) in revenue. During the latest operation, authorities seized approximately €194,000 in suspected criminal assets and collected significant amounts of user and transaction data for ongoing investigations. According to authorities, the platform’s technical infrastructure was hosted on servers belonging to a company in Moldova.

Authorities first dismantled the platform in late 2024, arresting one of its administrators and seizing infrastructure linked to the operation. However, the marketplace quickly reappeared under a new operator using fresh infrastructure and the same branding.

Earlier this month, Spanish police arrested a 35-year-old German national in Mallorca under a European arrest warrant. Prosecutors allege the suspect rebuilt and relaunched Crimenetwork only days after the original shutdown in December 2024.

Meanwhile, the operator of the original Crimenetwork platform was sentenced in March to seven years and 10 months in prison and ordered to forfeit more than €10 million in criminal proceeds. The ruling, however, is not yet final.

Kingdom Market administrator sentenced to 16 years in prison

A Slovakian man who helped operate the Kingdom Market Dark Web marketplace has been sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for his role in facilitating the sale of illegal drugs, stolen financial information, and counterfeit documents.

Alan Bill, 33, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances after admitting he helped manage the platform between March 2021 and December 2023. US authorities arrested Bill at Newark Airport in December 2023 shortly before German police seized the marketplace’s servers and shut the operation down.

Kingdom Market was a major underground marketplace used by cybercriminals and drug traffickers to sell illegal substances, fake identification documents, malware, and stolen financial data. Bill provided web administration services, promoted the marketplace on online forums, and mediated transactions in exchange for cryptocurrency payments.

German authorities said the platform had thousands of customer accounts and several hundred vendor accounts. Payments were processed using cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Litecoin, Monero and Zcash, with operators collecting a 3% commission on sales.

The takedown involved cooperation between law enforcement agencies in the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Moldova, and Ukraine.

Alleged Dream Market administrator arrested in Germany

German and US authorities have arrested a man accused of running the Dream Market marketplace. Owe Martin Andresen, 49, was taken into custody during coordinated raids on three locations in Germany on May 7 following a US indictment.

Dream Market, one of the largest Dark Web marketplaces before its shutdown in 2019, offered illegal drugs, stolen personal data, counterfeit documents, and other illicit goods. Prosecutors allege Andresen, who allegedly has helped operate Dream Market since 2013, has laundered millions of dollars in commissions earned from Dream Market transactions, including converting cryptocurrency into gold bars shipped to his home in Germany.

The marketplace announced its closure after an international law enforcement crackdown that led to dozens of arrests. However, the identity of the main admin behind the platform remained unknown for years until authorities traced cryptocurrency wallets linked to Dream Market back to Andresen in late 2022.

Andresen is said to have laundered roughly $2 million between August 2023 and April 2025. During the raids, authorities reportedly seized approximately $1.7 million in gold bars, $23,000 in cash, and additional bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets holding another $1.2 million allegedly connected to the operation.

Andresen now faces six counts of money laundering and six counts of international money laundering in the United States. If convicted on all charges, he could face decades in prison. He also faces additional charges in Germany, though it's unclear if Andresen will be extradited.

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Chinese cybercrime suspect extradited to South Korea in $25M hacking case

A Chinese national accused of masterminding a major cybercrime operation was extradited from Thailand to South Korea, Seoul’s Justice Ministry announced. Authorities allege the suspect ran an overseas hacking network that stole more than $25 million from victims, including celebrities and business executives.

The 40-year-old suspect is accused of operating a hacking organization based in Thailand and other countries between August 2023 and April 2025. The group allegedly breached websites of budget mobile carriers and other companies, using stolen personal data to gain access to victims’ bank and cryptocurrency accounts.

According to local media reports, one of the alleged victims was a BTS megastar who had his identity stolen by the hackers. The perpetrators used the singer’s data to access his securities account and attempted to transfer HYBE shares worth 8.4 billion won ($5.6 million). Financial losses were reportedly prevented after payment suspension measures were implemented.

The suspect was arrested in Bangkok during an Interpol-led operation and extradited to South Korea. Last August, authorities extradited another alleged accomplice, a 36-year-old Chinese national, from Thailand. He was indicted the following month, and his trial is ongoing.