US DOJ seizes Huione cloud account used for crypto fraud

U.S. authorities have seized a cloud computing account that served as the technical backbone for a massive online criminal marketplace, escalating a campaign against Southeast Asian cyber fraud networks. The Justice Department announced the seizure on Tuesday, June 23, targeting infrastructure used by subsidiaries of Cambodia's Huione Group.

The account hosted backend systems for Huione Guarantee, also known as Haowang Guarantee, a Telegram-based marketplace that operated as an escrow hub for criminal transactions. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division said the seizure strikes a blow against one of the world's most prolific criminal marketplaces. He stated the account was part of a technological backbone that allowed billions in fraud proceeds to be transferred, moved, and concealed, much of it stolen through Southeast Asian scam centers.

According to court documents, the marketplace brokered a wide range of illicit goods and services. These included stolen credit card and identity data, money laundering services, and tools for creating fraudulent investment platforms and phishing websites. It also facilitated the sale of software...