40 suspects arrested for robbing unsuspecting victims of hundreds of thousands of dollars through private info from dark web

Dozens of people were arrested for their alleged involvement in a massive bank fraud scheme that stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from victims.

Law enforcement officials said victims did nothing to become targets of the alleged scheme. The group obtained their private information from the dark web online.

"Crooks have nothing but time to figure out how to get your data," said Mont Belvieu Police Chief Jimmy Ellison.

Police identified 35 victims just from the Houston area and said the group had stolen between $360,000 and $600,000.

The main group that orchestrated the scheme obtained the money and then solicited friends and family to launder the money through their accounts.

"Once they get the information, they start making wire transfers out of the victim's bank accounts. But, in order for them to be successful, they have to transfer that money into a clean account and that's where they began recruiting other people," Ellison said.

Some of those criminal associates were recruited through social media.

Police named the investigation "Operation Cash Back."

23-year-old Gregory Edwards III, 25-year-old Doc Frank, 20-year-old Jayson Gipson, and 21-year-old Lajewel McGilbray were identified as the alleged scheme ringleaders. They were charged with engaging in organized criminal activity and money laundering.

Some of the alleged criminal associates lived as far away as Georgia and Illinois.

An online security expert told KTRK-TV that people could protect themselves from this kind of fraud by making sure they didn't reuse passwords, adding two-factor authentication for banking accounts, and using biometric security options.

Mont Belvieu police said they are still investigating the matter and seeking to identify other criminal associates.

Here's a news video report from KTRK about the arrests.

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