The Rest Is Classified 10. North Korea’s CIA: The Billion Dollar Heist (Ep 2)
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Jan 8, 2025 What happens when an authoritarian regime resembles a crime syndicate? Delve into North Korea's audacious attempt to steal nearly $1 billion from the Central Bank of Bangladesh. With meticulous planning and hacking expertise, operatives set out to execute one of history's largest heists. Discover their high-stakes gambling escapades in Las Vegas casinos and their unique money laundering tactics. The narrative blurs the lines between espionage and organized crime, leaving listeners questioning the morality behind such daring exploits.
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The Printer Glitch
- Zubair noticed a printer glitch at the Central Bank of Bangladesh, a seemingly minor issue that turned out to be a critical sign of the North Korean cyber heist.
- The printer, responsible for recording multi-million dollar transactions, failed to print records due to North Korean malware.
Strategic Timing
- The North Koreans timed their heist to exploit weekends, holidays, and time differences between key locations.
- This created a five-day window of confusion, hindering communication and allowing them to attempt to move the money.
Jupiter Street Snafu
- The North Koreans targeted a bank branch on Jupiter Street in Manila.
- This triggered an alert at the Fed due to a similarly named entity on a sanctions watch list, highlighting the unexpected nature of cyber espionage.