The xDedic Marketplace, A Website Involved In The Illicit Sale Of Compromised Computer Credentials And Personally Identifiable Information, Shut Down

Tampa, Florida - U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez, along with Special Agent in Charge Eric Sporre, FBI-Tampa Division, and Special Agent in Charge Mary Hammond, IRS-Criminal Investigation, today announced the seizure of the xDedic Marketplace, a website that operated for years and was used to sell access to compromised computers worldwide and to personally identifiable information of U.S. residents. The xDedic administrators strategically maintained servers all over the world to facilitate the operation of the website.

The international operation to dismantle and seize this infrastructure is the result of close cooperation with law enforcement authorities in Belgium and Ukraine, as well as the European law enforcement agency Europol. On January 24, 2019, seizure orders were executed against the domain names of the xDedic Marketplace, effectively ceasing the website’s operation.

The xDedic Marketplace operated across a widely distributed network and utilized bitcoin in order to hide the locations of its underlying servers and the identities of its administrators, buyers, and sellers. Buyers could search for compromised computer credentials on xDedic by desired criteria, such as price, geographic location, and operating system. Based on evidence obtained during the investigation, authorities believe the website facilitated more than $68 million in fraud. The victims span the globe and all industries, including local, state, and federal government infrastructure, hospitals, 911 and emergency services, call centers, major metropolitan transit authorities, accounting and law firms, pension funds, and universities.

The U.S. investigation was led by the FBI and IRS-CI, with assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Substantial assistance was provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.

The joint Belgian-Ukrainian investigation was led by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office and the Federal Computer Crime Unit of Belgium, and the National Police and the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine, with significant support by Europol.

Additionally, the German Bundeskriminalamt provided assistance in the operation to seize xDedic’s infrastructure.

Criminal Justice Technology in the News

Law Enforcement News

Contra Costa Sheriff's Office to Add Rapid DNA Technology to Its Arsenal
The Mercury News, (01/16/2019), Annie Sciacca and Nate Gartrell for the Bay Area News Group
The Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office plans to buy rapid DNA technology, which reduces the time it takes to handle and test DNA. The technology should help identify criminal suspects or victims of major disasters such as fires. Rapid DNA technology has shortened the test time from weeks to about 90 minutes.
Link to Article

D.C. Mayor Announces Large New Investment in Opioid Overdose Antidote
The Washington Post, (01/18/2019), Peter Jamison
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel E. Bowser has pledged to buy more than 50,000 naloxone kits as part of new efforts to address the city's opioid crisis. The kits would be given to police officers, community organizations, drug users and city residents who know people at risk of a drug overdose. Naloxone is used to reverse opioid overdoses.
Link to Article

Naperville Police Equip Every Patrol Car With Bean-Bag Shotgun
Naperville Sun, (01/18/2019), Suzanne Baker
Every squad car in the Naperville Police Department is equipped with a beanbag shotgun. The gun is seen as a means to disable violent persons who are in danger of injuring themselves or others but are not direct threats wherein deadly force is necessary, according to police. The shotguns are orange-colored and have less lethal markings on the stock.
Link to Article

Urbana Police Set to Roll Out New Body Cameras
The News-Gazette, (01/18/2019), Mary Schenk
Body-worn cameras are among the technology in an integrated video recording system purchased by the Urbana Police Department in Illinois. The system includes 14 squad-car cameras, 60 body-worn cameras, two interview-room cameras, a server, software and other support items.
Link to Article

Police Unveil New Body Cameras
Trumbull Times, (01/18/2019), Donald Eng
Police in Trumbull, Conn., are among the latest law enforcement agencies to be equipped with body cameras, which will be use to record evidence and interactions with the community. The cameras will be used under a department policy that dictates when the camera is to be activated, and specific situations when it should not be used.
Link to Article

Corrections News

U-M Student Podcast Helps Former Prisoners Tell Their Stories
Michigan News, (01/08/2019)
Students at the University of Michigan are producing a podcast that features former inmates discussing their experience of coming home after being incarcerated. Producers expect the narratives in the "While We Were Away” podcast to serve as guidebooks for those seeking knowledge, peace, comfort and joy in life on the outside.
Link to Article

From a Cell to a Home: Newly Released Inmates Matched With Welcoming Hosts
NPR, (01/16/2019)
The Homecoming Project in Alameda County, Calif., is matching prisoners being released after long sentences with homeowners and renters. The nonprofit behind the program pays the former inmates' rent for six months and actively supports the partnership.
Link to Article

Giving Inmates Tablets Will Help With Staffing, Safety Issues, SC Prisons Director Says
The State, (01/21/2019), Emily Bohatch
South Carolina plans to provide modified tablet computers to some inmates under a pilot program. Department of Corrections Director Bryan Stirling said the program will provide tablets preloaded with approved content such as access to online classes and music. The tablets will also allow monitored phone calls and emails.
Link to Article

In-Person Visitations Restored at Mecklenburg County Jails, Sheriff's Office Says
WFAE, (01/16/2019)
In-person visitations have been fully restored at the Mecklenburg County jail. A previous policy allowed video-only visitation. The sheriff's office says inmates will be able to have one weekly in-person, face-to-face visit in the jail in addition to one weekly video visitation conducted at an administrative building.
Link to Article

Vermont Prison Staff Will Carry Opioid Rescue Medication Narcan After Rise in Overdoses
Burlington Free Press, (01/22/2019), Jess Aloe
The Vermont Department of Corrections plans to more than double the number of staff carrying the opioid overdose-reversal drug naloxone. The state's prison system will go from having 284 correctional officers trained in the use of the medication to 774.
Link to Article

Register for Webinars To Train and Advance Crime Lab Directors

The Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCoE) and the American Society of Crime Lab Director’s (ASCLD) are partnering to bring the crime lab leadership community an expansive training series highlighting five different forensic disciplines:

• Crime Gun Intelligence (Thursday, Jan. 24, 2 – 3 PM ET)
• Digital Forensics (Thursday, Jan. 31, 2 – 3 PM ET)
• Fire Debris Analysis (Thursday, Feb. 7, 2 – 3 PM ET)
• Trace Analysis (Thursday, Feb. 14, 2 – 3 PM ET)
• Quality Assurance (TBD)

To register, go to https://forensiccoe.org/webinar/ascld-train-director-2019-series/