In a landmark case highlighting the escalating threat of cybercrime, 20-year-old Noah Michael Urban from Palm Coast, Florida, has been sentenced to a decade in federal prison. This sentencing marks the first conviction of a member from the notorious cybercriminal collective known as Scattered Spider. Urban is also mandated to pay approximately $13 million in restitution to his victims.
The Rise of Scattered Spider
Scattered Spider has emerged as a formidable entity in the cyber underworld, renowned for its sophisticated social engineering tactics and technical prowess. The group’s operations have targeted both individuals and large corporations, leading to significant financial losses and data breaches.
Urban’s Criminal Activities
In April 2025, Urban pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and conspiracy. Prosecutors detailed how he and his co-conspirators executed SIM-swapping attacks, a method that involves manipulating mobile carriers to transfer a victim’s phone number to a device controlled by the attacker. This technique allowed them to intercept calls and text messages, including one-time passwords and two-factor authentication codes, thereby gaining unauthorized access to financial and cryptocurrency accounts.
Through these attacks, Urban and his associates stole at least $800,000 from five individuals. However, the group’s reach extended far beyond individual victims. They targeted dozens of large corporations, harvesting employee credentials and sensitive customer data. By sending phishing messages disguised as urgent security alerts, they directed employees to fraudulent websites mimicking legitimate company login pages. Once credentials were obtained, the attackers infiltrated internal systems, accessing customer information and facilitating further cryptocurrency thefts.
Broader Implications
The investigation into Scattered Spider has unveiled a complex and organized criminal enterprise that has targeted at least 45 companies both in the U.S. and internationally. Federal investigators have linked the group to the theft of millions of dollars in digital assets from numerous victims across the United States.
Urban’s sentencing represents a significant milestone in law enforcement’s efforts to dismantle such cybercriminal networks. It underscores the growing sophistication of cyber threats and the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures to protect individuals and organizations alike.
