Instead of selling drugs on street corners, gang members are costing Americans millions by using personal data stolen by Russian cybercriminals to maintain fancy lifestyles.
In August 2018, when police in Miami searched the home of Geno St. Flerose, a teenager they said was a member of the Everybody Eats street gang, they discovered incriminating evidence that had little to do with the drugs and guns they more typically find.
Police say St. Flerose had three notebooks full of other people’s personal information – names, dates of birth, bank account numbers and social security numbers – and a “to-do” list, in which No. 7 was simply “Fraud.” Investigators revealed that St. Flerose was buying stolen data online, saying in one text message he was after “some of that black market sh*t” and was directed to the Russian site PlusCC. (St. Flerose is yet to file a plea as he faces various charges for identity fraud, murder and assault with a dangerous weapon. His lawyer hadn’t responded to requests for comment).
Everybody Eats and its rival, Little Haiti Vulchas, were known as violent drug gangs. Now, as homicides on either side and amongst innocent bystanders rack up, police say they’ve turned their backs on narcotics and are getting most of their revenue from a less risky crime. They’re using data stolen by Russian hackers and peddled on Russian-hosted sites like PlusCC to take control of other people’s bank accounts, sign up for benefits in a…
