Gavril Sandu Extradited to U.S. for 17-Year-Old VoIP Hacking Scheme
Severity: Low (Score: 21.8)
Sources: Scworld, Securityaffairs.Co
Summary
Gavril Sandu, a 53-year-old Romanian national, was extradited to the U.S. to face charges related to a hacking scheme that occurred from May 2009 to October 2010. Indicted in 2017, Sandu was arrested in Romania in 2026. He and his accomplices targeted small businesses' VoIP systems to conduct vishing attacks, impersonating banks to steal debit card and PIN numbers. The stolen credentials were used to create counterfeit cards and withdraw cash from ATMs. Sandu faces a maximum sentence of 30 years if convicted. This case concludes a lengthy investigation into cybercrime activities affecting numerous victims. The extradition marks a significant step in addressing long-standing cyber fraud cases. Key Points: • Gavril Sandu was extradited to the U.S. after 17 years related to a VoIP hacking scheme. • The scheme involved vishing attacks targeting small businesses, leading to significant financial theft. • If convicted, Sandu faces up to 30 years in prison for bank fraud and conspiracy.
Key Entities
- Phishing (attack_type)
- Romania (country)
- United States (country)
- T1078 - Valid Accounts (mitre_attack)
- T1566 - Phishing (mitre_attack)