The US and Britain have charged a 19-year-old with 120 cyberattacks on infrastructure, businesses and government agencies

A 19-year-old Londoner, Talsi Jubair, has been charged in the US and UK with participating in more than 120 cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure, government agencies and businesses. According to the Financial Times, citing the US Department of Justice, the attacker and his accomplices received more than $115 million in ransoms.

In the US, Jubair is charged with conspiracy to commit computer and financial fraud, as well as money laundering. In the UK, he is accused of an attack on Transport for London in 2024 that took down surveillance cameras, online passenger services and the company's website. It caused millions in losses and exposed the data of thousands of users, including names, contacts and banking information.

US investigators have linked Jubair to the Scattered Spider group, which attacked Marks & Spencer, Co-op and Harrods in the UK. He was arrested along with 18-year-old Owen Flowers as part of the investigation. Both are suspected of conspiring against TfL and attempting to hack the networks of healthcare companies SSM Health Care and Sutter Health.

According to Acting Deputy US Attorney General Matthew Galetti, these attacks have paralyzed the work of companies, critical infrastructure facilities, and even federal courts, which shows the seriousness of the cyber threat.

The Metropolitan Police said the case demonstrated the effectiveness of the National Crime Agency's and international partners' work to combat cybercrime. Four more suspects linked to the Scattered Spider group were also arrested in July.