Hackers hit bank's London offices in £229 million heist

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An international gang has been accused of planning to steal £229m from company accounts by hacking into a Japanese bank’s computers in London.

According to reports, it was alleged that a security supervisor smuggled Belgian computer hackers into the London offices of the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation.

Once in there, they are said to have installed spy software which recorded employee’s names and passwords. They then attempted to transfer the money to accomplices in Spain, Singapore, Dubai and Hong Kong.

However, the court heard that the plot failed due to the hackers failing to fill in one of the passwords needed for the system to make money transfers.

The bank supervisor and Belgian hackers have admitted their roles in the scam, but the man accused of setting up the money laundering and the two alleged accomplices have denied being part of the plot.

It was reported that the accounts targeted included those of Toshiba, Nomura Asset Management, Mitsui OSK Lines and Sumitomo Chemical.

The case continues at Snaresbrook Crown Court. Sumitomo Banking Corporation said it would make no comment until the case had concluded.

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