Montenegrin authorities have arrested an Iranian-Turkish dual national wanted by the United States on charges related to a long-running cybercrime campaign that allegedly caused more than $3.4 billion (€2.98 billion) in damages.
The 39-year-old suspect, identified only as A.B., was detained in the coastal town of Kotor during a joint operation involving Montenegro's police and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He is wanted on charges including conspiracy to commit computer fraud, hacking, identity theft and organized crime.
According to Montenegrin police, the suspect allegedly carried out large-scale cyberattacks on US infrastructure from 2013 onward while working as an associate of an Iranian legal entity. Officials said the attacks targeted more than 150 US universities, from which the attackers stole academic research and data, causing an estimated $3.4 billion in losses.
Authorities allege the stolen information and compromised university accounts were used to benefit Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and other Iranian institutions, including universities.
The suspect is expected to appear before a court in Podgorica, which will determine whether he will be extradited to the United States.
In 2018, US Department of Justice charged nine Iranian nationals with hacking universities and other organizations to steal academic research and intellectual property. It’s not clear yet if the recent arrest is connected to the 2018 case.