WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The United States has paid more than $20 million in rewards for information on people involved in organized crime, under a government program launched in 2013, US Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs has announced.
"In only two years, we have provided payments of more than $20 million in following up on reward offers under the TOC [Transnational Organized Crime] Reward Program," William Brownfield said at a press conference held in Washington, DC on Tuesday.
"I suggest to you that this reward program is having an impact," Brownfield said, juxtaposing TOC to the US government's International Narcotics Reward Program, which has given out in excess of $88 million in rewards over the past 30 years.
Also on Tuesday, Browfield announced a major reward offer of $3 million for information on the whereabouts of Russian hacker Evgeniy Bogachev, who has been involved in the development and operation of the Gameover Zeus and Cryptolocker malware, which resulted in more than $100 million in stolen assets.
Browfield explained that the particular form of cybercrime has for the first time been subject to the TOC Reward program, and the United States is prepared to work with any government to solve the Bogachev case.
