The U.S. Treasury Department building is seen in Washington, DC, on July 22, 2019. The Treasury and Justice departments announced Thursday action against a Russian hacking group known as Evil Corp. Alastair Pike/AFP via Getty Images
The U.S. Treasury Department building is seen in Washington, DC, on July 22, 2019. The Treasury and Justice departments announced Thursday action against a Russian hacking group known as Evil Corp.
Alastair Pike/AFP via Getty ImagesUpdated at 10:30 a.m. ET
Federal law enforcement officials have announced criminal charges and sanctions against Russian nationals who operate a hacking organization known as Evil Corp., a group officials say is responsible for one of the most sweeping banking fraud schemes in the past decade.
Officials say Evil Corp. developed and distributed a type of malware that infected computers around the world and harvested banking credentials in order to steal some $100 million.
According to officials with the Justice and Treasury departments, the malware software was known as Dridex, which automated the theft of confidential information from banking customers after someone clicks on a phishing emails.
Investigators believe that the Russian government may have been complicit in the criminal enterprise.
"It's simply inconceivable that an organization like this can steal that amount of money from that money places using a distributive malware like Dridex without the Russian government being well-aware of those activities," a senior Treasury officials said.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin called the group "one of the world's most prolific cybercriminal organizations" in what he called a "money mule" cybercrime.
He continued: "Our goal is...