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Accused Hacker Freed On Bail In $1.8m Theft Case - Crime - Nairaland

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Accused Hacker Freed On Bail In $1.8m Theft Case by qcode(m): 11:46pm On Oct 11, 2008
Accused hacker freed on bail in $1.8M theft case
Montrealer once broke into U.S. Pentagon's system
Daryl Slade, Calgary Herald
Published: Friday, September 26, 2008

The alleged mastermind of a $1.8-million theft from a Calgary financial company has been granted bail.

Provincial court Judge John Bascom ordered Ehud Tenenbaum -- who spent time in jail for hacking into the U.S. Defence Department's computer system -- released on $30,000 cash following a bail hearing Thursday. <-- Stolen money no doubt, laugh.gif The greedy US gov would have wanted triple that,

Bascom said he was concerned about the 29-year-old's lack of ties to Calgary, but felt he could be monitored in Montreal, where he has some support.

"This individual is very skilled -- to use his abilities for good or evil," said Bascom.

Crown prosecutor Jane McClellan told court the Israeli man's computer and Internet provider address in Montreal were used to hack into computers belonging to Direct Cash Management Inc. in Calgary.

She said if it had not been for Tenenbaum leaving his computer turned on at his apartment when Montreal police executed a search warrant in his absence, they would not have been able to seize incriminating evidence.

"The tech person noted devices were done in such a way they could be turned off by a kill switch," said McClellan, who argued for Tenenbaum's detention, saying such crimes, if proved, would warrant a prison sentence of five to seven years.

"A lot of what police found is evidence that certainly connects Tenenbaum to Direct Cash and to the fraud."

When asked outside court if the Crown would appeal the release, McClellan said, "It'll have to be considered . . . other events may not make it necessary."

Although she did not elaborate, McClellan had told Bascom there are warrants out for Tenenbaum's arrest in the United States on similar charges.

Defence lawyer John James said Tenenbaum was in the computer security business and infiltrated hacker sites to obtain more information to learn new ways of protecting his clients.

"We certainly don't deny he has great talents in technology . . . but that shouldn't be held against him," said James.

"Mr. Tenenbaum has worked in the computer industry, primarily in computer security, since he was 15 or 16.

"Police will find a very significant portion of what they find on my client's computer clearly indicates his legal involvement is development for clients' Internet and corporate security."

James said it is crucial to understand how hackers work to correct weaknesses in a business's system.

McClellan said Tenenbaum was involved in obtaining pre-paid debit cards from Direct Cash, with small balances substantially increased by hacking into the system. Then, she said, the data was e-mailed to other people, and large withdrawals were made worldwide, primarily in Montreal.

The offences, she said, took place between late December 2007 and early January this year.

The judge said Tenenbaum's alleged involvement must be settled at trial.

While on release, said Bascom, Tenenbaum must live at the same Montreal apartment where his computer was seized last month and report to Montreal city police in person twice a week.

Bascom prohibited Tenenbaum from using any device that can access the Internet, and prevented him from having contact with only one of three co-accused persons in the alleged theft.

Tenenbaum may contact Priscilla Mastrangelo, whom he says is his fiancee, and Spyros Xenoulis, who is listed as his business partner.

They and another co-accused, Ralph Jean-Francois, have been released and returned to Montreal, where they were arrested in late August -- along with Tenenbaum -- and brought to Calgary to face the charges.

Investigators believe Tenenbaum was responsible for hacking into the Calgary computers, while the three accomplices were allegedly responsible for the bulk of the cash withdrawals.

Court documents indicate Mastrangelo, 30, took $32,082. Jean-Francois, 28, and Xenoulis, 33, allegedly took $6,585 and $1,001, respectively.

In 1998, when Tenenbaum was a teenager in Israel, he hacked into computers belonging to the Pentagon. He was initially sentenced in Israel to six months community supervision, but it was increased to 18 months jail in 2002.

His next scheduled court appearance in Oct. 29

Source: http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/city/story.html?id=7833966a-5188-4e84-862c-0ed65aa7d047
Re: Accused Hacker Freed On Bail In $1.8m Theft Case by lovelyS(m): 11:04am On Sep 03, 2009
He's good but not criminal minded like us nigerians.

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