assistant attorney: The allegations in the indictment unsealed today -- the first of its kind -- outline an Iran-based international computer hacking and extortion scheme that engaged in 21st-century digital blackmail, said Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski, according to CNN. The duo allegedly acted inside Iran and collected over 6 million from more than 200 victims, causing more than 30 million in losses during a 34-month span. Faramarz Shahi Savandi, 34, and Mohammad Mehdi Shah Mansouri, 27, allegedly released a type of ransomware called Sam Sam designed to hold computer systems hostage -- forcing victims to pay ransom to re-gain access, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said at a news conference on Wednesday. Among their alleged targets was the city of Atlanta, where segments of the municipal online infrastructure were ground to a halt for days in March because of the malware infection, disabling residents from paying water bills and forcing police officers to file reports by hand. Read More On Wednesday, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said the attacks seriously compromised their networks and disrupted vital services that we provide to residents. Other victims of the attack included the city of Newark, New Jersey, Med Star Health and the Colorado Department of Transportation, among others, according to Benczkowski, the head of the Justice Department's criminal division.
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