A gang of high-tech criminals who launched a cyber attack on UK banks, stealing more than £1million pounds, have been sentenced to a total of 24 years in jail.
The London-based group, one of whom was based in Brent, also used stolen bank and credit cards to fraudulently buy high-value goods such as Rolex watches and jewellery.
They were previously found guilty in March.
Using a device known as a KVM switch to remotely access bank accounts at Barclays and Santander, they stole cash and when making arrests officers even found one member to be in possession of Class A drugs.
The series of digital thefts began in April last year, when Darius Bolder entered a Swiss Cottage Barclays bank office and unlawfully allowed the group – based in a nearby hotel – to access the IT system using the KVM device, making 128 transfers worth £1,252,490 to a network of mule accounts set up to launder the stolen cash.
The bank reported the cyber attack, managing to recover £600,000 of the money while the matter was referred to the Met's Central e-Crime Unit who began a lengthy and complex investigation.
On July 17 last year, the group again entered a Barclays bank – this time in Lewisham – where Dean Outram, of Kensal Rise, was able to illegally gain access to the bank's computers, resulting in £90,000 being stolen.
The final stunt proved to be the last however, when in September last year they made another attempt to access a bank's IT system, a Santander branch in Surrey Quays, but during the operation detectives raided an address in Kingsley Avenue, Hounslow, where 11 were arrested alongside Outram outside the bank.
Those who were jailed, and their sentence:
Eight years imprisonment for Lanre Mullins-Abudu, 25, of Weimar Street, Putney for conspiracy to commit fraud, conspiracy to steal and possession of articles for use in fraud
Five years and 10 months imprisonment for Steven Hannah, 53, of Bell Street, London, NW1, for conspiracy to commit fraud and possession of a Class A drugs with intent to supply
Five years and 6 months for Tony Colston-Hayter, 49, of Seymour Street, W1 for conspiracy to commit fraud, conspiracy to steal and possession of articles for use in fraud
Two years and six months imprisonment for Darius Valentin Boldor, 34, of Ebury Bridge Road, London, SW1, for fraud and conspiracy to steal
Three years imprisonment for Dean Outram, 32, of Clifford Gardens, NW10 for conspiracy to steal
One year and four months imprisonment, suspended for two years, for Adam Raeburn Jefferson, 38, of Newport Road, New Bradwell, Milton Keynes for conspiracy to commit fraud
Nine months imprisonment suspended for two years Segun Ogunfidodo, 27, of White City Estate, W12 for conspiracy to commit fraud
Nine months imprisonment suspended for two years for Dola Leroy Odunsi, 28, of Bromfield Rise, Abbots Langley, WD5 for conspiracy to commit fraud
Six months imprisonment, with the sentence already served in custody, for James Lewis Murphy, 39, of Wellington Buildings, Ebury Bridge Road, SW1 for possession of criminal property
DCI Jason Tunn, of the MPS Cyber Crime Unit, said: "Today's convictions are the culmination of a long and highly complex investigation into an organised crime group whose aim was to steal millions of pounds from London banks and credit card companies.
"Through working with industry partners such as Santander and Barclays, whose efforts in assisting us were immense, we have been able to bring this group to justice.
"This case demonstrates the sheer investigative skill we are able to apply to tackling cyber crime, as we continue working to keep London people and businesses safe from cyber criminals.
"We are determined to make London a hostile place for cyber criminals and not allow the internet to be a hiding place for those who defraud people in the capital."
Nine members of the gang were jailed at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday last week.
Those not yet sentanced include Michael Victor Harper, 26, of Kiln Place, NW5 alongside Guy Davies, 49, of Sudbourne Road, London, SW2 and Asad Ali Qureshi, 26 of Old Brompton Road, SW7, who will appear at Wood Green Court on June 13 for sentence on charges including fraud by false representation, conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to money launder respectively.
Stephen Ohunta, 41, of Mafeking Road, E16, is scheduled to be sentenced for conspiracy to commit fraud, theft and possession of criminal property on the same date, at the same court while Martin Thane, 31, of Eardley Crescent, SW5 was previously sentenced to six months conditional discharge, and ordered to attend a rehabilitation clinic for six months last year for conspiracy to commit fraud by misrepresentation.
