Russian Hackers Tap Citibank For Millions

Russian computer hackers broke into a Citibank electronic money transfer system and stole more than $10 million before they were caught, according to court documents unsealed Friday.

The money was shifted from Citibank to accounts in Finland, Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, Israel and Switzerland, FBI agent Steven Garfinkel said.

The Citibank system allows customers to transfer their money to accounts at other banks.

Six people have been arrested in the scheme, the bank said. In London, a Russian computer expert, Vladimir Levin, was fighting extradition to the United States. He was arrested while passing through Britain.

U.S. authorities say that Levin, working from his job as head systems operator at a Russian software company, AO Saturn, figured out how to get around Citibank’s security system and transfer money out of others’ accounts.