Cybercrime: NRW gelingt Schlag gegen Qilin-Hacker - Russe festgenommen

On May 31st, a significant victory was achieved in the ongoing battle against cybercrime as a Russian hacker associated with the global hacker group Qilin was apprehended in Japan. Herbert Reul, the NRW Interior Minister, announced that the 28-year-old Russian national was captured in Tokyo, with the assistance of Japanese police. Reul emphasized that this was a historic achievement, stating that the individual had been sentenced to serve time in a German correctional facility.

The hacker had initially planned a vacation in Japan in May, but now finds himself in a German correctional facility, with Reul adding that instead of sushi, he now enjoys cheesecake in a German jail.

Since 2024, the Qilin hacker group has been preying on nearly 4,000 companies worldwide, with 150 of those being in Germany, including 30 in North Rhine-Westphalia. Reul cautioned that the figure is likely to be even higher, with ransom demands reaching almost three billion US dollars, and over 140 million dollars already paid.

Qilin is described as one of the most active and ruthless criminal groups globally. Justus Minister Benjamin Limbach (Greens) praised the meticulous work of the German investigators, who had infiltrated the hacker group over several months, tracking countless digital traces. Limbach explained that eventually, a name was linked to the pseudonym.

Both ministers expressed gratitude to Japan for extraditing the Russian hacker, despite the lack of an extradition treaty, highlighting the global nature of the fight against cybercrime. Previously, the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" had reported on this successful investigation.