The German Federal Police (BKA) announced the arrest of two people suspected of mining €700,000 worth of bitcoins with the help of a botnet.
The arrests of the suspects took place in Bavaria and Lower Saxony on December 2 and 3, while authorities speak of the existence of another main suspect.
Those arrested are accused of modifying malicious software and spreading it on the internet, with the aim of penetrating computer systems, which they then used to create (mine) bitcoins.
The criminals also face charges of fraud, copyright infringement, hacking, and criminal offenses related to adult content.
Authorities noted that Bitcoin is increasingly being used by cybercriminals because it facilitates money laundering and makes it more difficult to track them.
Investigations into the case are ongoing.
