A London student has been jailed for selling phishing kits linked to £100m of fraud.
21-year-old Ollie Holman was sentenced to seven years in prison after designing and supplying the kits
The kits harvested personal information by mimicking government, bank and charity websites, including a fake donation website which took the card information of victims trying to donate money.
In total, Holman created and distributed 1,052 kits, targeting 69 organisations in 24 different countries. He also provided tutorials on how to use the kits to a network of almost 700 people.
The north-west London native was studying electronic and computer engineering at the University of Kent until his arrest in October 2023. The arrest came after an investigation by City of London Police following a tip from intelligence firm WMC global.
After his arrest, he continued to contact buyers of the fraud kits via a Telegram channel. He was rearrested in May 2024. Searches of his student accommodation and seized devices led to the discovery of information linking his digital fingerprints to the creation of the kits.
It is estimated that Holman earned over £300,000 between 2021 and 2023 by distributing the kits across Europe. The investigation was supported by international partners in Switzerland and Finland.
At his sentencing last week, Holman pleaded guilty to seven charges, including making or supplying articles for use in fraud, and transferring, acquiring, and possessing criminal property.
Sarah Jennings, a specialist prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Holman acted with greed and profited handsomely from this illegal enterprise, funding his own lavish lifestyle at the expense of countless individuals and businesses who suffered devastating financial losses and emotional harm.
“I hope this case sends a clear message to those intent on committing fraud: No matter how sophisticated your methods, you cannot hide behind online anonymity or encrypted platforms. Fraudsters like Holman will be robustly pursued by law enforcement, prosecuted by the CPS, and brought to justice.”
Featured image via The Crown Prosecution Service
