More Than a Dozen Arrested in Anonymous Investigation
We spoke too soon. Today's raids of at least 14 homes throughout the country by the FBI weren't part of just another intelligence-gathering move in an ongoing investigation targeting the hacking group Anonymous. The feds have arrested 14 people—in states including Florida, Washington, California and New York—on suspicion of being involved with the group, according to according to CNN.
Per All Things Digital, the investigation is "related specifically to the distributed denial-of-service attacks that were carried out last year and early this year against several companies in the US. The attacks were in sympathy with Wikileaks, which had just started disclosing its cache of leaked US diplomatic cables. Visa, the credit card company was one of its victims."
Which means that the Feds aren't looking for perpetrators of the more recent LulzSec and Anonymous hack attacks—the ones against the CIA, Sony, and Arizona's Department of Homeland Security.
One of the many "official" Anonymous accounts joked on Twitter, "Checking the mail… hope the FBI isn't waiting. BRB." They must have escaped the feds' attention, because a few minutes later they tweeted, "back.. *wipes brow*"
Update: According to the DOJ's press release, here are the names and nicknames of those arreste today:
The individuals named in the San Jose indictment are: Christopher Wayne Cooper, 23, aka "Anthrophobic;" Joshua John Covelli, 26, aka "Absolem" and "Toxic;" Keith Wilson Downey, 26; Mercedes Renee Haefer, 20, aka "No" and "MMMM;" Donald Husband, 29, aka "Ananon;" Vincent Charles Kershaw, 27, aka "Trivette," "Triv" and "Reaper;" Ethan Miles, 33; James C. Murphy, 36; Drew Alan Phillips, 26, aka "Drew010;" Jeffrey Puglisi, 28, aka "Jeffer," "Jefferp" and "Ji;" Daniel Sullivan, 22; Tracy Ann Valenzuela, 42; and Christopher Quang Vo, 22. One individual's name has been withheld by the court.