Gary Dimmock reports:
It’s not every day that fraud victims get their money back.
But Canada’s most prolific hacker, who launched ransomware attacks from his Ottawa home that left some targets in financial ruin, will be making full restitution.
Matthew Philbert, 33, pleaded guilty to years of cyber attacks and was recently sentenced to two years in jail. The court has set a date later this year to sort out potential restitution, but this newspaper has learned that he will pay back every cent. It’s around $49,200 in all.
The bit coin seized at Philbert’s residence is worth, as of today’s value, around $34,000, and his lawyer, Michael Johnston, has around $16,000 in trust.
So the fraud victims will be fully restituted, and the details will be ironed out in court.
Philbert targeted the computers of more than 1,000 people, businesses and organizations, including three police departments.
Read more at Ottawa Citizen.