135 Charged in Cyber-Crime Sweep

Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft said 135 people have been charged and more than $17 million seized in a crackdown on investment swindles, identity theft and other forms of Internet fraud and abuse.

U.S. law enforcement officers arrested 50 suspects this week in an effort to combat fast-growing online crimes, which now account for more than half of all fraud complaints, Ashcroft said.

One California resident was charged with operating a bogus investment scheme that took in $60 million from about 15,000 victims worldwide.

Since Jan. 1, the Justice Department and other federal agencies have uncovered more than 89,000 victims bilked out of about $176 million, Ashcroft said.

From Reuters