Romania hands over hackers who stole personal data to US

Romania has extradited two suspects of computer burglary and identity theft to the US state of Georgia. The two are suspected of causing millions of dollars in damage by stealing identities.

It concerns 41-year-old Teodor Laurentiu Costea and 40-year-old Robert Codrut Dumitrescu, the AP news agency reported on the basis of the public prosecutor. The two Romanians have to face charges including computer infringement, identity theft and financial fraud. For example, they allegedly installed automated calling software on the victims’ computers and tried to get them to call a number because there were problems with their bank account.

Money was then stolen from those who called the number and passed on their financial information. At the time of their arrest, the two Romanians are said to have been in possession of 36,051 bank account numbers, which they would have collected between 2011 and 2014. The financial damage would amount to about 18 million dollars, which is about 15 million euros converted.

There is also a third suspect, 28-year-old Cosmin Draghici. He is still detained in Romania because the extradition has not yet been decided.