Love was first arrested in October 2013 over allegations of hacking into US agencies including NASA, the US army and the Federal Reserve. On Wednesday, UK’s Metropolitan Police Service rearrested Love at his home in Stradishall, Suffolk, this time sporting an extradition warrant issued by the districts of Virginia, New Jersey and New York.
According to the indictment (PDF) filed in New Jersey, Love and others hacked into thousands of computers in the US and elsewhere, collecting personal data from 104,000 people along the way. Love is also alleged to have discussed the possibility of both defacing the Federal Reserve website and sending out fake emails to its users. Additionally, Love is said to have told co-conspirators how their group may have been able to acquire extremely sensitive data that would allow them to steal the identities of any government employee or contractor. In another conversation he is alleged to have said: Following his arrest, Love appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court where he got bail, ahead of an extradition hearing on 1 September. Love had first arrested by officers of National Crime Agency two years ago for a number of offences under the Computer Misuse Act and confiscated his computer equipment before releasing him on bail. His bail was subsequently cancelled over a year ago and Love himself then began petitioning for the return of his computer equipment from the NCA. NCA appeared to be reluctant to return his property apparently because it was unable to decrypt some of his files. However later, the agency gave back 25 of the 31 gadgets belong to Love and retained six of them for further investigation. Love’s solicitor, Karen Todner, said his arrest came “out of the blue” they will fight the extradition proceedings tooth and nail on 1st September when the matter comes for hearing.
