University student who sold more than a thousand phishing kits to fraudsters is jailed
Ollie Holman, 21, admitted to selling more than a thousand kits, which contained fraudulent webpages designed to look genuine, to dupe victims into filling in their own personal and financial information.
Holman, of Eastcote, West London, previously pleaded guilty to seven counts, including encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence, making or supplying articles for use in fraud, and transferring, acquiring, and possessing criminal property.
He was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court to seven years in jail.
Sarah Jennings, Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "By creating and selling phishing kits, Ollie Holman facilitated a widespread fraud which others used to exploit innocent victims on a vast scale.
"Holman acted with greed and profited handsomely from this illegal enterprise, funding his own lavish lifestyle at the expense of countless individuals and businesses who suffered devastating financial losses and emotional harm.
"The prosecution team, working closely with City of London Police and international partners, was able to build a strong case with clear, compelling evidence, resulting in the defendant's guilty pleas.
"I hope this case sends a clear message to those intent on committing fraud: no matter how sophisticated your methods, you cannot hide behind online anonymity or encrypted platforms. Fraudsters like Holman will be robustly pursued by law enforcement, prosecuted by the CPS, and brought to justice."
Ollie Holman was responsible for the creation and supply of 1,052 phishing kits which targeted 69 financial institutions and large organisations, including charities, in 24 countries and resulted in estimated losses of at least £100 million globally.
These kits contained a phishing webpage which was designed to look real. These fraudulent webpages had built-in scripts to enable the harvesting of information entered, including account log-in details and bank details.
Holman distributed these phishing pages via the encrypted messaging service Telegram, where he also offered his advice and technical support to others intent on committing fraud.
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