Iceland Criminal Moxie: Not Chilling in the Lock Up
January 22, 2019
ZDNet published “Iceland’s Bitcoin Bandit Sentenced for Stealing Mining Rigs.” A “mining rig” is one or more computers set up to do the calculations necessary to make a digital currency exist.
What’s interesting about this report is the malefactor was convicted for stealing equipment from three data centers in Iceland, a country about the size of Cuba except a bit more nippy.
The number of computers removed numbered about 600. Three separate robberies were conducted to snag the gear. The theft was not hijacking a computer’s cycle. The theft involved physical hardware.
A total of seven people were charged with the alleged crime.
One of these individuals — Sindri Þór Stefánsson — received the most severe sentence. Held in a low security prison, Mr. Stefánsson walked off the grounds and hopped a flight to Stockholm. Once in Stockholm, the bad actor traveled to Amsterdam. Upon his recapture, he was returned to Iceland.
Two key points:
- The missing 600 computers have not been found
- Mr. Stefánsson booked his escape flights using a mobile phone he operated from prison.
Interesting digitally enabled crime. Now about the use of mobile phones by prisoners while in custody? And boarding security checks?
Stephen E Arnold, January 22, 2019
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