The Ministry of Defense and Police are investigating suspected cyber group Ability for crimes related to security exports, fraud and money laundering on a significant scale.
Several suspects were arrested on Sunday morning and searches were conducted at two Ability Group cyber companies as part of investigating suspicions of security offenses and money laundering on a significant scale. the other details of the investigation were imposed a gag order.
The investigation carried out by the MMLB (the Commissioner of Defense in the Security System), the Security Export Control Division (AFI) at the Ministry of Defense and the IAHLB in the police department is under a prohibition order.
The investigation carried out by the Security Commissioner in the Security System, the Defense Export Control Division at the Ministry of Defense and the Israeli Police, International Investigation Unit of Lahav 433, which is also responsible for the fight against organized crime.
The arrests and searches were carried out following a hearing and investigation of “Ability Computer and Software Industries” and “Ability Security Systems”.
Apart from the National Police Investigative Unit, the Special Investigation Team also had representatives from the tax and customs authorities.
Suspicion was investigated of committing offenses against the Security Exports Control Law, fraudulent, smuggling and money laundering offenses to a significant extent committed on suspicion by Ability companies in their business activities.
The investigation is accompanied by the State Department’s Economic unit. As mentioned, the other details of the investigation were imposed a gag order.
Ability was founded in 1993 by a team of experts in military intelligence and communications who were joined by specialists in electronics and mathematics. Their slogan is “While others talk we listen.”
According to Cyber Data, their goal was to devise the state of the art interception and decryption solutions that would serve the needs and ever-increasing challenges of security and intelligence agencies, military forces, police, and homeland security services around the world.
The report says “Ability operates in large, growing markets for global homeland security and cybersecurity markets. Ability specializes in the off-air interception of cellular and satellite communication networks and deciphering solutions for cellular and satellite communications.”
The development in the investigation came after the Ministry of Defense had already suspended the companies from Israel’s defense export register in March. This was after the ministry held a hearing on suspicion of violating the Security Export Control Act as part of marketing and export operations of listening and licensing systems without licenses.
Last year, Ability announced that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission had decided to take enforcement action against it. The company was suspected of backing up its financial data which also included various financial reports and data, including the company’s forecasts.
Throughout 2017, Ability’s accounts were accompanied by a live business note, and its sales in that year totaled only $3 million. In April of that year, the company reported the resignation of five board members.
Read more about: Ability Group, Crime, CyberSecurity
