Nathan Wyatt, of Wellingborough, England, has appeared in a federal district court in eastern Missouri, USA, to face charges of aggravated identity theft, threatening damage to a protected computer, and conspiracy.
Wyatt is suspected of being a key member of international hacker group “The Dark Overlord” (TDO), according to court documents.
Since 2016, the group has been hacking US firms to steal and ransom their data. Victims that failed to pay up would face having their data sold on hacking forums.
In addition to hawking the companies information, the group would also tip off members of the press about the breach to generate bad press for the company and damage their reputation.
Wyatt pleaded not guilty and will be detained until his next court date, which has not yet been decided.
According to the official indictment, Wyatt and other members of TDO targeted Missouri healthcare providers and accounting firms between 2016 -2017 when the indictment was formally filed with a local court.
However, TDO has publicly claimed responsibility for additional hacks, indicating their activity is more widespread. Netflix, ABC, Sterling Financial Group, AZ Plastic Surgery Center and Larson Studios are among their victims, according to the group.
RecommendedÂ
- Drone Comes Within 10ft of Hitting Jet, Report Reveals
- Scots Want Quotas to Protect Jobs from Robots, Study Finds
- Edinburgh Firm to Explore How Tech Can Help Disabled Scots Access Benefits
“Today’s extradition shows that the hackers hiding behind The Dark Overlord moniker will be held accountable for their alleged extortion of American companies,” said Brian Benczkowski, an assistant attorney general with the Justice Department’s criminal division.
“We are thankful for the close cooperation of our partners in the United Kingdom in ensuring that the defendant will face justice in US court.”
Previously, Wyatt has been accused of other hacking allegations, blackmail, credit-card and identity fraud charges. And, in 2016 he was suspected of hacking Pippa Middleton’s iCloud account, but was subsequently cleared following a police investigation.





