Federal officials say they’ve broken up ATM hacking ring that allegedly stole $9M in 12 hours

Feds bust ATM hacking ring accused of stealing $9M

ATLANTA — Federal authorities say they’ve cracked a sophisticated computer hacking ring that stole more than $9 million within 12 hours last November, securing indictments against eight people from Russia, Estonia and Moldova.

The acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia said Tuesday that the ring hacked into payroll debit card information of Royal Bank of Scotland Group in Atlanta.

The U.S. attorney, Sally Quillian Yates, says the group created 44 counterfeit payroll debit cards used to withdraw money from more than 2,100 ATMS in at least 280 cities worldwide, including the United States.

Authorities say Sergei Tsurikov 25, of Tallinn, Estonia, was in custody but the U.S. attorney’s office declined to discuss the whereabouts of the others.

(This version CORRECTS Tsurikov is from Tallinn, Estonia.)