Hacker's waterfront home, Mercedes and Bitcoin forfeited in cybercrime probe
A waterfront mansion, a luxury car and cryptocurrency - together valued at more than $4.5m - have been seized in a major cybercrime investigation, which led police to a Queensland man once convicted of hacking a US gaming company.
The assets were seized by the AFP-led Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT) after being identified as suspected proceeds of crime linked to the theft of cryptocurrency and cyber hacking.
The forfeiture brought to a close Operation Gouldian, which began after law enforcement partners in Luxembourg tipped off AUSTRAC in 2018 about suspicious Bitcoin activity.
Authorities traced the transactions to a Queensland man who had previously been convicted of hacking a U.S. gaming company.
Investigators also suspected the man was linked to the 2013 theft of 950 Bitcoin from a French cryptocurrency exchange.
Although no criminal charges were laid in Australia, CACT used civil powers available under proceeds of crime laws to freeze and ultimately confiscate the assets. These laws allow action to be taken even when a prosecution is not pursued.
In July 2023, the AFP obtained restraining orders over a luxury home in Beachmere, a black 2019 Mercedes-Benz sedan, and just less than 25 Bitcoin. Authorities alleged the man's wealth was not supported by any legitimate income.
AFP Commander Jason Kennedy said targeting illegal profits remained a key strategy in tackling cybercrime.
'Criminals are driven by greed at the expense of honest Australians and businesses who are losing their hard-earned money to cyber criminals,' he said.
'The profits derived from criminal activities are also often used to fund further criminal acts, which is why the AFP works closely with our partners in the CACT to target the proceeds of crime and ensure they are reinvested in the community.'
Since July 2019, the taskforce has restrained more than $1.2bn worth of criminal assets, including property, luxury goods, cryptocurrency, and even yachts and fine art.
CACT permanently established in 2012 to proactively trace and confiscate criminal wealth.
The assets will now be liquidated, with proceeds then placed into the Commonwealth Confiscated Assets Account, where they can be directed by the Attorney-General to support community initiatives such as drug prevention or law enforcement programs.
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The Advertiser
9 hours ago
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Three dead as Russian strikes target eastern Ukraine
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In the Dnipropetrovsk province further south, two women aged 45 and 88 were injured, according to local Governor Serhii Lysak. Russian shelling also killed a couple in their 50s in the southern city of Kherson, close to the front lines, local Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported in a Facebook post. Meanwhile, Russia's defence ministry said its forces shot down 36 Ukrainian drones overnight, over the country's south and west, including near the capital. Drone debris injured two civilians in the suburbs of Moscow, local Governor Andrei Vorobyov reported. On Friday, Russia struck six Ukrainian territories, killing at least six people and injuring about 80. Among the dead were three emergency responders in Kyiv, one person in Lutsk and two people in Chernihiv. A US-led diplomatic push for a settlement has brought two rounds of direct peace talks between delegations from Russia and Ukraine, although the negotiations delivered no significant breakthroughs. 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The barrage - the latest in almost-daily, widescale attacks - included aerial glide bombs that have become part of a fierce Russian onslaught in the three-year war. The intensity of the Russian attacks on Ukraine in the past weeks has further dampened hopes that the warring sides could reach a peace deal anytime soon - especially after Kyiv recently embarrassed the Kremlin with a surprising drone attack on military airfields deep inside Russia. According to Ukraine's Air Force, Russia struck with 215 missiles and drones overnight on Saturday, and Ukrainian air defences shot down and neutralised 87 drones and seven missiles. Several other areas in Ukraine were also hit, including the regions of Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, and the city of Ternopil, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in a post on X. "To put an end to Russia's killing and destruction, more pressure on Moscow is required, as are more steps to strengthen Ukraine," he said. The Russian Defence Ministry on Saturday said its forces carried out a night-time strike on Ukrainian military targets, including ammunition depots, drone assembly workshops, and weaponry repair stations. There was no comment from Moscow on the reports of casualties in Kharkiv. Kharkiv's mayor, Ihor Terekhov, said the strikes also damaged 18 apartment buildings and 13 private homes. Terekhov said it was "the most powerful attack" on the city since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Kharkiv's regional governor, Oleh Syniehubov, said two districts in the city were struck with three missiles, five aerial glide bombs and 48 drones. He said two children, a baby boy and a 14-year-old girl, were among the injured. In the Dnipropetrovsk province further south, two women aged 45 and 88 were injured, according to local Governor Serhii Lysak. Russian shelling also killed a couple in their 50s in the southern city of Kherson, close to the front lines, local Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported in a Facebook post. Meanwhile, Russia's defence ministry said its forces shot down 36 Ukrainian drones overnight, over the country's south and west, including near the capital. Drone debris injured two civilians in the suburbs of Moscow, local Governor Andrei Vorobyov reported. On Friday, Russia struck six Ukrainian territories, killing at least six people and injuring about 80. Among the dead were three emergency responders in Kyiv, one person in Lutsk and two people in Chernihiv. A US-led diplomatic push for a settlement has brought two rounds of direct peace talks between delegations from Russia and Ukraine, although the negotiations delivered no significant breakthroughs. The sides remain far apart on their terms for an end to the fighting. Ukraine has offered an unconditional 30-day ceasefire and a meeting between its President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin to break the deadlock. But the Kremlin has effectively rejected a truce and hasn't budged from its demands. US President Donald Trump said this week that Putin told him Moscow would respond to Ukraine's attack on Russian military airfields last Sunday. Trump also said it might be better to let Ukraine and Russia "fight for a while" before pulling them apart and pursuing peace. Trump's comments were a remarkable detour from his often-stated appeals to stop the war and signalled he might be giving up on recent peace efforts. A large Russian drone-and-missile attack has targeted Ukraine's eastern city of Kharkiv, killing at least three people and injuring 21, local officials say. The barrage - the latest in almost-daily, widescale attacks - included aerial glide bombs that have become part of a fierce Russian onslaught in the three-year war. The intensity of the Russian attacks on Ukraine in the past weeks has further dampened hopes that the warring sides could reach a peace deal anytime soon - especially after Kyiv recently embarrassed the Kremlin with a surprising drone attack on military airfields deep inside Russia. According to Ukraine's Air Force, Russia struck with 215 missiles and drones overnight on Saturday, and Ukrainian air defences shot down and neutralised 87 drones and seven missiles. Several other areas in Ukraine were also hit, including the regions of Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, and the city of Ternopil, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in a post on X. "To put an end to Russia's killing and destruction, more pressure on Moscow is required, as are more steps to strengthen Ukraine," he said. The Russian Defence Ministry on Saturday said its forces carried out a night-time strike on Ukrainian military targets, including ammunition depots, drone assembly workshops, and weaponry repair stations. There was no comment from Moscow on the reports of casualties in Kharkiv. Kharkiv's mayor, Ihor Terekhov, said the strikes also damaged 18 apartment buildings and 13 private homes. Terekhov said it was "the most powerful attack" on the city since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Kharkiv's regional governor, Oleh Syniehubov, said two districts in the city were struck with three missiles, five aerial glide bombs and 48 drones. He said two children, a baby boy and a 14-year-old girl, were among the injured. In the Dnipropetrovsk province further south, two women aged 45 and 88 were injured, according to local Governor Serhii Lysak. Russian shelling also killed a couple in their 50s in the southern city of Kherson, close to the front lines, local Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported in a Facebook post. Meanwhile, Russia's defence ministry said its forces shot down 36 Ukrainian drones overnight, over the country's south and west, including near the capital. Drone debris injured two civilians in the suburbs of Moscow, local Governor Andrei Vorobyov reported. On Friday, Russia struck six Ukrainian territories, killing at least six people and injuring about 80. Among the dead were three emergency responders in Kyiv, one person in Lutsk and two people in Chernihiv. A US-led diplomatic push for a settlement has brought two rounds of direct peace talks between delegations from Russia and Ukraine, although the negotiations delivered no significant breakthroughs. The sides remain far apart on their terms for an end to the fighting. Ukraine has offered an unconditional 30-day ceasefire and a meeting between its President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin to break the deadlock. But the Kremlin has effectively rejected a truce and hasn't budged from its demands. US President Donald Trump said this week that Putin told him Moscow would respond to Ukraine's attack on Russian military airfields last Sunday. Trump also said it might be better to let Ukraine and Russia "fight for a while" before pulling them apart and pursuing peace. Trump's comments were a remarkable detour from his often-stated appeals to stop the war and signalled he might be giving up on recent peace efforts. A large Russian drone-and-missile attack has targeted Ukraine's eastern city of Kharkiv, killing at least three people and injuring 21, local officials say. The barrage - the latest in almost-daily, widescale attacks - included aerial glide bombs that have become part of a fierce Russian onslaught in the three-year war. The intensity of the Russian attacks on Ukraine in the past weeks has further dampened hopes that the warring sides could reach a peace deal anytime soon - especially after Kyiv recently embarrassed the Kremlin with a surprising drone attack on military airfields deep inside Russia. According to Ukraine's Air Force, Russia struck with 215 missiles and drones overnight on Saturday, and Ukrainian air defences shot down and neutralised 87 drones and seven missiles. Several other areas in Ukraine were also hit, including the regions of Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, and the city of Ternopil, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in a post on X. "To put an end to Russia's killing and destruction, more pressure on Moscow is required, as are more steps to strengthen Ukraine," he said. The Russian Defence Ministry on Saturday said its forces carried out a night-time strike on Ukrainian military targets, including ammunition depots, drone assembly workshops, and weaponry repair stations. There was no comment from Moscow on the reports of casualties in Kharkiv. Kharkiv's mayor, Ihor Terekhov, said the strikes also damaged 18 apartment buildings and 13 private homes. Terekhov said it was "the most powerful attack" on the city since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Kharkiv's regional governor, Oleh Syniehubov, said two districts in the city were struck with three missiles, five aerial glide bombs and 48 drones. He said two children, a baby boy and a 14-year-old girl, were among the injured. In the Dnipropetrovsk province further south, two women aged 45 and 88 were injured, according to local Governor Serhii Lysak. Russian shelling also killed a couple in their 50s in the southern city of Kherson, close to the front lines, local Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported in a Facebook post. Meanwhile, Russia's defence ministry said its forces shot down 36 Ukrainian drones overnight, over the country's south and west, including near the capital. Drone debris injured two civilians in the suburbs of Moscow, local Governor Andrei Vorobyov reported. On Friday, Russia struck six Ukrainian territories, killing at least six people and injuring about 80. Among the dead were three emergency responders in Kyiv, one person in Lutsk and two people in Chernihiv. A US-led diplomatic push for a settlement has brought two rounds of direct peace talks between delegations from Russia and Ukraine, although the negotiations delivered no significant breakthroughs. The sides remain far apart on their terms for an end to the fighting. Ukraine has offered an unconditional 30-day ceasefire and a meeting between its President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin to break the deadlock. But the Kremlin has effectively rejected a truce and hasn't budged from its demands. US President Donald Trump said this week that Putin told him Moscow would respond to Ukraine's attack on Russian military airfields last Sunday. Trump also said it might be better to let Ukraine and Russia "fight for a while" before pulling them apart and pursuing peace. Trump's comments were a remarkable detour from his often-stated appeals to stop the war and signalled he might be giving up on recent peace efforts.
The Advertiser
12 hours ago
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Israel military retrieves Thai hostage's body from Gaza
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Hamas-led militants killed 1200 people in Israel in the 2023 attack, Israel's deadliest day, and took 251 hostages, 55 of whom remain in Gaza. Twenty hostages are believed to still be alive, according to Israeli authorities. Israel responded to the Hamas attacks with a military campaign that has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities in the Hamas-run strip, and left much of the enclave in ruins, with a population of more than two million people largely displaced. The Israeli military has retrieved the body of Thai hostage Nattapong Pinta, who had been held in Gaza since Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Defence Minister Israel Katz says. Pinta's body was held by a Palestinian militant group called the Mujahedeen Brigades, and was retrieved from the area of Rafah in southern Gaza, Katz said. His family in Thailand has been notified. Pinta, an agricultural worker, was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, a small community near the border, where one in four people was killed or taken hostage during the Hamas-led 2023 attack that triggered the devastating war in Gaza. The Israeli military said Pinta had been abducted alive and killed by his captors, who had also killed and taken to Gaza the bodies of two more Israeli-American hostages that were retrieved this week. There was no immediate comment from the militant group. Hamas-led militants killed 1200 people in Israel in the 2023 attack, Israel's deadliest day, and took 251 hostages, 55 of whom remain in Gaza. Twenty hostages are believed to still be alive, according to Israeli authorities. Israel responded to the Hamas attacks with a military campaign that has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities in the Hamas-run strip, and left much of the enclave in ruins, with a population of more than two million people largely displaced. 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Hamas-led militants killed 1200 people in Israel in the 2023 attack, Israel's deadliest day, and took 251 hostages, 55 of whom remain in Gaza. Twenty hostages are believed to still be alive, according to Israeli authorities. Israel responded to the Hamas attacks with a military campaign that has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities in the Hamas-run strip, and left much of the enclave in ruins, with a population of more than two million people largely displaced. The Israeli military has retrieved the body of Thai hostage Nattapong Pinta, who had been held in Gaza since Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Defence Minister Israel Katz says. Pinta's body was held by a Palestinian militant group called the Mujahedeen Brigades, and was retrieved from the area of Rafah in southern Gaza, Katz said. His family in Thailand has been notified. 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West Australian
12 hours ago
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Nationwide rallies call for justice after death of Indigenous man in custody in the Northern Territory
Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains reference to Indigenous people who have died. Australians across the country have flocked to the streets to demand justice following the death of an Indigenous man in police custody in the Northern Territory. A 24-year-old man was restrained by two police officers at an Alice Springs Coles on May 27. Police said there had been reports of an altercation between the man and a security guard. He stopped breathing while on the ground at the shopping centre, and he died about an hour after he was restrained, the NT News reported. There have been 12 Indigenous deaths in custody this year, while there have been 597 since the establishment of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody in 1987. A string of rallies have been planned across the country following the 24-year-old's death, demanding an investigation independent of the NT Police force, for CCTV and body cam footage to be released to the man's family, and a public apology from NT Police. Crowds gathered outside Town Hall in Sydney's CBD on Saturday night, holding up Indigenous flags. Signs printed with 'Stop black deaths in custody' were also held up among the large crowd. Police could be seen on horseback at the protest. Lawyer George Newhouse, representing the man's family, said he was 'angry there are mothers grieving' in the Northern Territory, according to reports by the ABC. 'I am angry there was a disabled young man calling out for his mother in Coles last week,' Mr Newhouse told the crowd. An organiser of the Sydney rally, Paul Silva, called for justice in a post to Instagram. 'We demand truth. We demand accountability. We demand justice,' Mr Silva posted. Independent senator Lidia Thorpe called for justice for the 24-year-old in a post to X on Friday. 'Justice for Warlpiri Mob, and the Yuendumu community, who are grieving yet another young man's life taken,' Ms Thorpe wrote. 'No one should live in fear of being killed by police and in prisons.' Additional rallies are slated to take place in Adelaide and Perth on Sunday. mental health helplines
