US accuses European hackers of stealing millions of dollars from American bank accounts

WASHINGTON – A Russian computer hacker is accused of leading a worldwide conspiracy that targeted hundreds of thousands of computers with malware that enabled his group to steal more than $100 million from business and other bank accounts.

Criminal and civil allegations have been filed in Pittsburgh against the man, Evgeniy Bogachev. The documents are filed there because some of the victims are from western Pennsylvania.

U.S. authorities say Bogachev’s group infected computers with software that captured passwords and account numbers and stole millions of dollars from victims.

The members of the gang come from Russia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

The Justice Department scheduled a news conference Monday to discuss the charges. They come weeks after authorities revealed cyberespionage charges against five Chinese army hackers accused of stealing trade secrets from American firms.

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Mandak reported from Pittsburgh.