Unauthorized transfer of $1 million out of public hospital to banks nationwide
Financial Services // Government (U.S.) // Healthcare and Public Health // Washington, United States
Hackers grabbed huge sums “from an electronic bank account held by Cascade Medical Center in Leavenworth, leading to a multistate criminal investigation that could yield federal charges.”
The crooks moved about $1.03 million out of the public hospital district’s account to 96 different bank accounts, most of them in the Midwest and East Coast.
It might take at least a month to learn how much money was lost and how much can be recovered.
Since the breach occurred on a Friday, the hackers had more time to shuffle the funds. Electronic accounts are reviewed each business day only.
County officials described the attack as “sophisticated.” The treasurer said: “If there was access in the case where one junior taxing district got hacked, our natural assumption would be that any one of the other districts could have been hacked.”
Because the cash transferred across state lines, the crime is subject to federal investigation and prosecution.