Four Arrested in Quebec for Sonic Cash 500 Cybercrime Spree
Four Quebec residents have been arrested and charged with cybercrime offences following an investigation into extortion and fraud committed against customers of the online loan company Sonic Cash 500. The charges include extortion, harassing communications, fraud over $5,000, and criminal interest rate.
The investigation began in December 2022 when Calgary police were contacted by a resident who had been targeted with a telephony denial of service (TDoS) attack after arranging a loan from Sonic Cash 500. The incident resulted in thousands of calls to the victim over a 24-hour period, rendering their phone lines unusable and affecting not only the victim but also their families, friends, and employers, including a Calgary shopping mall and a diagnostic imaging provider.
Further investigation revealed that five other individuals had been similarly attacked. The suspects, identified as Steven Mancini, Johnny Rioux, Scott Geddes, and Megan Wartoukian, were arrested on September 24 and 25. A search warrant was executed at five locations in Laval and Montreal in February 2024, resulting in the seizure of thousands of documents and over 200 electronic devices, significantly disrupting the company's operations.
All four accused are expected to appear in court in Calgary on November 4 and 5. The charges against them include extortion, harassing communications, fraud over $5,000, and criminal interest rate. The Calgary Police Service has not released the names or residences of the suspects, citing an ongoing investigation.
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