Two suspects were arrested in Germany this week after allegedly hacking computers and remotely controlling them to mine more than $954,000 in bitcoins.
The hackers used malware to create a botnet, which then stole digital identities and generated the virtual currency. Police searched the suspects' homes and reportedly found evidence of additional hacking operations, fraud, copyright law violations and pornographic texts.
Although only two people were arrested, German police suspect the involvement of a third member. The suspects await trial while police examine the seized evidence, which includes their computers and storage media.
Within Germany, bitcoins are allowed to be used for private transactions, but companies must obtain permission through the nation's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority.
