US seeks extradition of alleged hacker arrested in France

(Reuters) -U.S. prosecutors have charged a British national with data theft and related cybercrime offences, and are seeking to extradite the alleged hacker from France, the U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday.

Kai West, who was arrested in France in February, was part of a wider group of hackers who were active selling or giving away stolen data on a cybercrime forum, the Justice Department said.

West has been charged with operating the "IntelBroker" online identity, infiltrating victim computer networks, stealing data, selling it, and causing millions in damages to dozens of victims around the world, the department said, adding victims include a U.S.-based telecommunications provider.

A four-count criminal indictment and complaint charging West was unsealed on Wednesday. Two of the counts carry a maximum prison sentence of five years each, while the other two charges carry a maximum of 20 years each.

The Justice Department did not identify the forum where West is alleged to have been selling stolen data, but French media including Le Parisien and Valeurs Actuelles have identified it as BreachForums, a notorious gathering place for data-swapping cybercriminals.

French media said four additional French hackers had been arrested by police on Monday in connection with the investigation.

A representative for West could not immediately be identified to comment.

(Reporting by Raphael Satter and Ismail Shakil; Editing by Chris Reese)

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