A worldwide law enforcement initiative orchestrated by the U.S. Department of Justice has detained Yunhe Wang in connection to allegations of deploying malware and managing the 911 S5 Residential Proxy Service, reportedly identified as the largest botnet service globally. The operation resulted in the seizure of approximately $29 million worth of cryptocurrencies.

Wang, a Chinese national and citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis, was captured in Singapore. He is alleged to have utilized the botnet to embezzle substantial sums, leading to the acquisition of lavish assets like luxury cars, watches, and real estate in various nations.

Under the command of Wang and his associates, the 911 S5 botnet infected millions of residential Windows computers worldwide, accumulating over 19 million unique IP addresses. It infiltrated devices in nearly 200 countries, with a significant impact in the United States, where 613,000 machines were compromised. The botnet's activities targeted financial institutions, credit card companies, and federal lending programs since 2014.

Authorities estimate that Wang profited at least $99 million by selling access to the botnet, which criminals exploited for fraudulent activities such as scams, identity theft, and exploitation of minors.

The dismantling of the botnet was a collaborative effort involving international law enforcement agencies and various partners. The U.S. DOJ recognized the support received from entities like the Attorney-General’s Chambers of Singapore, Singapore Police Force, Royal Thai Police, Office of the Thai Attorney General, Anti-Money Laundering Office, along with organizations such as Chainalysis, Shadowserver Foundation, and Microsoft.

Apart from seizing $29 million in cryptocurrencies, authorities identified around $30 million in additional forfeitable assets and imposed sanctions on Wang and his co-conspirators.

While law enforcement celebrates the success in combating cybercrime, certain voices on social media have raised questions regarding the perceived lack of scrutiny towards corruption within government bodies. Some have emphasized the extensive focus on cyber-related offenses while other potential wrongdoings remain unaddressed.