Latest news with #XuZewei
Economist
3 days ago
- Economist
America is coming after Chinese it accuses of hacking
FOR OVER a decade, America's justice department has been indicting Chinese government hackers. Almost all of them have remained beyond the reach of the law. The aim has been to expose and embarrass, rather than to arrest. Now that is changing. On July 3rd Italian police in Milan arrested Xu Zewei, who is alleged to have worked on behalf of the Shanghai branch of the Ministry of State Security (MSS), China's main spy agency. America wants to extradite him for wire fraud, identity theft and hacking.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Chinese IT worker arrested in Italy for allegedly hacking US Covid data, insists it's a case of mistaken identity
WASHINGTON, July 10 — The US Department of Justice said yesterday a Chinese state-sponsored contract hacker was arrested last week in Italy at the request of Washington, but the arrested man claimed he is a victim of mistaken identity. Xu Zewei, 33, was arrested on July 3, the Justice Department said, adding a nine-count indictment was unsealed yesterday in the Southern District of Texas alleging the involvement of that individual and a co-defendant in computer intrusions between February 2020 and June 2021. Xu was arrested in Milan, Italy, and will face extradition proceedings, the DOJ said in a statement. It alleged China's ministry of state security had directed theft of Covid-19 research and the exploitation of Microsoft email software vulnerabilities. The Chinese government has previously denied allegations of being involved. Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for China's embassy in Washington, said yesterday China opposes all forms of cyber crimes, adding that 'China has neither the need nor the intention to acquire vaccines through so-called theft.' Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry, said today that China opposed 'the use of so-called cyber issues to maliciously smear China' when asked about the case in a regular press briefing. China opposes the extradition of Chinese citizens through a third country, Mao said, accusing the US of 'abusing long-arm jurisdiction.' Xu's lawyer said yesterday that he is a victim of mistaken identity, that his surname is quite common in China and that his mobile phone had been stolen in 2020. The 33-year-old IT manager at a Shanghai company appeared yesterday before an appeals court in Milan, which will decide whether to send him to the US. The man was arrested last week after he arrived at Milan's Malpensa airport for a holiday in Italy with his wife. US authorities allege that he was part of a team of hackers who in 2020 hacked and otherwise targeted US-based universities, immunologists, and virologists conducting research into Covid-19 vaccines, treatment, and testing. The US Justice Department says a research university located in the Southern District of Texas was also targeted. The DOJ also says that in 2021, he was part of a cyber-espionage group known as Hafnium, which has alleged ties to the Chinese government and which 'exploited zero-day vulnerabilities in US systems to steal additional research.' Hafnium targeted over 60,000 US entities, according to the DOJ. The charges listed on the arrest warrant were wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and unauthorised access to protected computers. — Reuters
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Indian Express
Chinese man, accused of targeting US Covid vaccine efforts, held in Italy: What is the case?
A 33-year-old Chinese man has been arrested over alleged industrial espionage in Italy, news agency Reuters reported. The man, Xu Zewei, from Shanghai was wanted by the US for allegedly targeting projects like efforts to develop a Covid vaccine and was apprehended last week on a U.S. arrest warrant as part of an FBI investigation after he arrived at Milan's Malpensa airport. Zewei, however, has denied all the allegations, terming it a case of mistaken identity. According to the US authorities, Zewei was a part of the team that in 2020 hacked and targeted US-based universities, immunologist, and virologists engaged in research into Covid-19 testing. treatment and vaccine. The group also targeted a research university in the Southern District of Texas. The charges listed on the warrant against Zewei were wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and unauthorised access to protected computers, reported Reuters. Zewei has opposed the extradition, claiming that he is a victim of mistaken identity, his lawyer said told the media. 'He told the judge that he had no reason to do what he is accused of and suggested that someone may have hacked into and used his account,' Reuters reported his lawyer Enrico Giarda as saying the the culmination of the extradition hearing which was held behind closed doors in Milan. The lawyer also stated that his client pointed out in the court that his surname is quite common in China and that his mobile phone too got stolen in 2020. 'We are now waiting for the U.S. authorities to send us the investigation files so that we can understand how they came to identify him as the perpetrator,' Giarda said. Washington has 40 days to send the related documents. Zewei's counsel also specified that they plan to request for house arrest at a later stage.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Indian Express
Chinese man held in Italy on US warrant claims mistaken identity
A Chinese man arrested in Italy on a US warrant over alleged industrial espionage has opposed extradition, claiming he is a victim of mistaken identity, his lawyer said on Tuesday. Xu Zewei, a 33-year-old IT manager at a Shanghai company, appeared on Tuesday before an appeals court in Milan, which will decide whether to send him to the United States. The man was arrested last week (July 3) after he arrived at Milan's Malpensa airport for a holiday in Italy with his wife. US authorities allege that he was part of a team of hackers who in 2020 hacked and otherwise targeted US-based universities, immunologists, and virologists conducting research into COVID-19 vaccines, treatment, and testing. The US Justice Department says a research university located in the Southern District of Texas was also targeted. 'He told the judge that he had no reason to do what he is accused of and suggested that someone may have hacked into and used his account,' his lawyer Enrico Giarda told reporters at the end of the hearing, which was held behind closed doors. The lawyer added that his client said his surname is quite common in China and that his mobile phone had been stolen in 2020. 'We are now waiting for the US authorities to send us the investigation files so that we can understand how they came to identify him as the perpetrator,' Giarda said, adding that Washington has 40 days to send the documents. The lawyer specified that they plan to request house arrest, but only at a later stage. In the meantime, he said he expects the next hearing to be scheduled after the summer break. The charges listed on the arrest warrant are wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and unauthorized access to protected computers.
CNA
3 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Chinese state-sponsored contract hacker arrested in Italy at US request, DOJ says
WASHINGTON: The US Department of Justice said on Tuesday (Jul 10) that a Chinese state-sponsored contract hacker was arrested last week in Italy at the request of Washington, but the arrested man claimed he is a victim of mistaken identity. Xu Zewei, 33, was arrested on Jul 3, the Justice Department said, adding a nine-count indictment was unsealed on Tuesday in the Southern District of Texas alleging the involvement of that individual and a co-defendant in computer intrusions between February 2020 and June 2021. Xu was arrested in Milan, Italy, and will face extradition proceedings, the DOJ said in a statement. It alleged China's ministry of state security had directed theft of COVID-19 research and the exploitation of Microsoft email software vulnerabilities. The Chinese government has previously denied allegations of being involved. Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for China's embassy in Washington, said on Tuesday China opposes all forms of cyber crimes, adding that "China has neither the need nor the intention to acquire vaccines through so-called theft". Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry, said on Thursday that China opposed "the use of so-called cyber issues to maliciously smear China" when asked about the case in a regular press briefing. China opposes the extradition of Chinese citizens through a third country, Mao said, accusing the US of "abusing long-arm jurisdiction". Xu's lawyer said on Tuesday that he is a victim of mistaken identity, that his surname is quite common in China and that his mobile phone had been stolen in 2020. The 33-year-old IT manager at a Shanghai company appeared on Tuesday before an appeals court in Milan, which will decide whether to send him to the United States. The man was arrested last week after he arrived at Milan's Malpensa airport for a holiday in Italy with his wife. US authorities allege that he was part of a team of hackers who in 2020 hacked and otherwise targeted US-based universities, immunologist, and virologists conducting research into COVID-19 vaccines, treatment, and testing. The US Justice Department says a research university located in the Southern District of Texas was also targeted. The DOJ also says that in 2021, he was part of a cyber-espionage group known as Hafnium, which has alleged ties to the Chinese government and which "exploited zero-day vulnerabilities in US systems to steal additional research". Hafnium targeted over 60,000 US entities, according to the DOJ. The charges listed on the arrest warrant were wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and unauthorised access to protected computers.
