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[CRIME] · Germany, Japan · 6 sources

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Part of situation: German arrest of Qilin ransomware group member (2 clusters)

Germany arrests suspected Qilin ransomware leader extradited from Japan

Qilin ransomware cybercrime arrest extortion extradition Russian hackers

German authorities have arrested a 28-year-old Russian national suspected of being a leading member of the Qilin ransomware group. The suspect was apprehended in Osaka, Japan, in May while traveling as a tourist and was extradited to Germany last Friday.

Qilin is described by officials as one of the world’s most dangerous cybercrime gangs. Since 2024, the group has reportedly targeted nearly 4,000 companies and institutions globally, with ransom demands totaling approximately 3 billion US dollars. In Germany alone, the group has attacked 150 entities, including 30 in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The arrest was the result of extensive international cooperation between German investigators and Japanese authorities, including the National Police Agency and the Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office. North Rhine-Westphalia’s Interior Minister, Herbert Reul, characterized the operation as the most significant success for German investigators in the fight against cybercrime.

Entities

Benjamin Limbach · Germany · Herbert Reul · Japan · National Police Agency · North Rhine-Westphalia · Qilin · Tokyo

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Sources

NRW gelingt Schlag gegen berüchtigte russische Hackergruppe: Digitale Angriffe auf Unternehmen [www.dattelner-morgenpost.de]
NRW gelingt Schlag gegen berüchtigte russische Hackergruppe: Digitale Angriffe auf Unternehmen [www.halternerzeitung.de]
NRW gelingt Schlag gegen berüchtigte russische Hackergruppe: Digitale Angriffe auf Unternehmen [www.waltroper-zeitung.de]
Germany Arrests Suspected Qilin Ransomware Leader After Japan Detention [securityaffairs.com]
NRW gelingt Schlag gegen berüchtigte russische Hackergruppe: Digitale Angriffe auf Unternehmen [www.recklinghaeuser-zeitung.de]
Germany arrests member of Qilin hacker group who was extradited from Japan [www.japantimes.co.jp]