From Remote Coder to Accused Cyber Thief: The Case of Ken-ichi Hatakama
In a modern-day digital heist, a Philippine national stands accused of masterminding a sophisticated wire fraud scheme that allegedly siphoned over half a million dollars from a U.S. company. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe in Orlando announced Friday the indictment of Ken-ichi Larroza Hatakama, 36, on charges of wire fraud, a crime that could land him in federal prison for up to 20 years.
The indictment also signals the U.S. government’s intent to seize a staggering $562,569.37, identified as the ill-gotten gains from the alleged illicit operation.
According to court documents, Hatakama, a citizen and national of the Philippines, was working remotely for a victim company (referred to as “VC”) providing computer coding assistance. But instead of solely legitimate work, prosecutors allege Hatakama was embedding malicious code into VC’s systems…