A European arrest warrant has been issued for the suspect.
The Central Criminal Police (KRP) says that it has made progress in the investigation of the data breach targeting the Psychotherapy Center Vastaamo.
According to KRP’s press release, a 25-year-old Finnish citizen has been arrested in absentia for a data breach targeting Vastaamo.
It’s about Alexander Julius Kivimäkiwho has a tough past with hacking crimes.
According to Iltalehti’s information, he has previously been sentenced for, among other things, aggravated data breach as a young person in 2020. Kivimäki, who was 17 at the time of the crime, had, among other things, made a baseless bomb threat to American Airlines and made baseless emergency center notifications about hostage situations as a minor.
Prior to this, in 2015, the same young man was sentenced in Espoo district court to a two-year suspended prison sentence for, among other things, 50,700 data breaches. He committed the crimes in question in 2012-2013 when he was only 15-16 years old.
The person is wanted and a European arrest warrant has been issued for him. An Interpol international wanted notice will also be issued for the suspect.
KRP: Suspected perhaps in Europe
The head of the investigation of the case, Marko Leponen, commented on the investigation in an interview with Iltalehti. Iltalehti followed the interview in text live.
Captured yesterday
The person was imprisoned at the Helsinki District Court on Thursday 27 October. He was imprisoned with probable cause on suspicion of aggravated data breach, attempted aggravated extortion and aggravated dissemination of information infringing private life.
The police know that the suspect is currently staying abroad. Under the European Arrest Warrant, he can be arrested abroad. After the arrest, the police request the extradition of the suspect to Finland.
– The police have made significant progress in the investigation. This point has been reached with long-term and careful work. In the preliminary investigation, there has been close cooperation between both police departments and other authorities in Finland and internationally. It is still too early to estimate the time when the preliminary investigation can be considered for prosecution, says the head of the investigation, the crime commissioner Marko Leponen Central Criminal Police.
The preliminary investigation is still ongoing. The police are also investigating the connection of the person suspected of the data breach to the extortion of the victims of the data breach and the dissemination of information.
The police first informed about the data breach targeting Vastaamo in October 2020. In addition to the data breach, the police have also investigated alleged negligence related to the company’s data security, which have progressed to prosecution.
According to the police, the victims of Vastaamo’s data breach have made a record number of criminal reports, more than 25,000 in total.
Iltalehti exceptionally publishes the suspect’s name already in the preliminary investigation phase, based on the social significance of the crime and the suspect’s serious criminal background.
According to the police, the victims of Vastaamo’s data breach have made a record number of criminal reports, more than 25,000 in total. Rosa Bröijer