Latvians informed by computer hacker

Myanmar News.Net
Wednesday 24th February, 2010

A Latvian computer hacker has been leaking secret bank details to a local TV station.

In Riga, data about the finances of banks and state-owned firms has been shown on Latvian TV, thanks to the hacker who uses the alias "Neo."

With Latvia suffering badly in the global recession, Neo has claimed he wants to expose those cashing in on the recession in Latvia, and has already revealed embarrassing pay details of bank managers and leading Latvian firms.

So far, he has managed to leak the pay details of managers from one Latvian bank that received a bail-out, revealing they did not take salary cuts as promised.

Other data shows that state-owned companies secretly awarded bonuses when still requesting help from the government.

While police are now looking for the hacker, who has committed computer crime, the public appears to be generally on his side, as he continues to disclose embarrassing information.

Latvia, part of the EU, is currently in the middle of its worst economic crisis since leaving the Soviet Union in 1991.

Its unemployment rate is at 23%.

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