Twin brothers in Virginia were indicted Thursday on computer hacking and other charges.
Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter and co-conspirators allegedly hacked into the website of a cosmetics company and stole customer credit card data and personal information, according to a Thursday release.
The 23-year-old brothers used the information obtained in the scheme to purchase goods and services such as flights and hotel reservations, and even to register to attend professional conferences, the release indicated.
The duo and co-conspirators are also charged with hacking government systems.
“In addition, the brothers and co-conspirators devised a scheme to hack into computer systems at the U.S. Department of State to access network traffic and to obtain passport information,” the release stated.
The two men are charged with aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to access a protected computer without authorization, access of a protected computer without authorization, conspiracy to access a government computer without authorization, false statements, and obstruction of justice.
If convicted on all counts, Muneeb Akhter faces a maximum 59 years in prison and Sohaib Akhter faces a maximum 39 years in prison.
