Law enforcement agencies in Germany and Brazil have announced multiple arrests connected to a sophisticated banking hack that occurred in late 2023, which reportedly siphoned approximately €30 million (equivalent to $34.7 million) from German bank accounts. The German federal police agency, the BKA, confirmed the apprehension of three suspects in Europe, who face fraud charges. Concurrently, Brazilian federal police arrested four additional individuals on similar charges as part of "Operação Klonen" (Operation Clone), which involved the execution of 21 search and seizure warrants across Brazil.
The BKA stated that over a four-day period in November 2023, the attackers executed "numerous unauthorized withdrawals from the accounts of German online banking users." This was achieved by exploiting a vulnerability within a payment provider's system. Brazilian authorities further elaborated that the method involved the use of cloned payment cards. Following the illicit withdrawals, the funds were then moved and laundered through networks spanning Brazil and four European countries.
While neither police agency officially named the affected financial institution, Brazilian media reports identified it as Germany's Commerzbank. German media had previously reported in late 2023 that Commerzbank had experienced a €30 million hack. At that time, the Frankfurt-based bank assured its customers that they would not incur any losses from the incident. Commerzbank has not yet provided an immediate response to recent inquiries regarding the arrests.
The suspects detained in Europe are slated for prosecution in Spain and Bulgaria, according to the BKA. Spanish and Bulgarian authorities, alongside the Frankfurt public prosecutor’s office, provided assistance during the investigation. In Brazil, courts have ordered the seizure of assets valued at over $20 million, including "financial assets, vehicles, and real estate."
A notable detail emerged from the Brazilian investigation: one individual identified in connection with the scheme was a candidate for elected office in 2024 and allegedly utilized a portion of the illicitly obtained money for their campaign. While Brazilian police did not release the individual's name, local media reported that this person had been a city council candidate in Rio de Janeiro. During the sweep for suspects, Brazilian police also reported seizing a 3-D printer that was used for manufacturing weapons.
