Latest news with #TheBoys
Telegraph
21 hours ago
- Telegraph
British ‘hacker' accused of £18m cybercrime plot by US
A 25‑year old British man has been charged in the US with allegedly orchestrating a global hacking operation to steal and sell data. Kai West, under the alias IntelBroker, is accused by US authorities of leading a global hacking scheme that caused £18 million of damage to dozens of victims. US prosecutors have said Mr West faces charges of data theft and related cybercrime offences, with a possible maximum sentence of up to 20 years if found guilty on the most serious charge of wire fraud. He is alleged to have operated under the IntelBroker identity, hacking and stealing data from over 40 companies between 2022 and 2025, and attempting to sell the stolen records on the dark web for more than $2 million (£1.4 million) Operating also under the name Kyle Northern, Mr West is said to have led an online hacking group. Although the Justice Department did not name the forum on which it allegedly operated, French media identified it as BreachForums, a notorious hub for data‑swapping cybercriminals. The indictment claims Mr West led a group of 32 hackers called The Boys, and his calling card was an image of a soldier with his finger to his lips. According to reports, Mr West allegedly opened around 158 threads on the forum, offering data for monetary sale, forum credit, or even for free. The Justice Department stated that Mr West's alleged victims include a municipal government healthcare provider, a US‑based telecommunications company, and an internet service provider. Although specific targets have not been formally named, IntelBroker has allegedly been linked to high‑profile breaches affecting companies including Apple, Ford, Cisco, Europol and the US Army. In 2023, a related cyber leak at the American health insurance marketplace DC Health Link reportedly exposed the personal health information of US Congress members and their staff, including names of spouses, dependent children, social security numbers, and home addresses. Jay Clayton, the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, where the case is being prosecuted, said: 'The IntelBroker alias has caused millions in damages to victims around the world. This action reflects the FBI's commitment to pursuing cybercriminals around the world.' Investigators allege that they traced Mr West through his cryptocurrency accounts after an undercover agent bought data from IntelBroker for $250 in Bitcoin, enabling them to link Mr West's email addresses. Mr West was arrested in France in February, where he remains in custody. The US is awaiting his extradition following the unsealing of the indictment this week. 'A nefarious, years-long scheme' Christopher Raia, the FBI assistant director in charge, added: 'Kai West, an alleged serial hacker, is charged for a nefarious, years-long scheme to steal victims' data and sell it for millions in illicit funds, causing more than $25 million in damages worldwide.' French authorities arrested four other suspects in their twenties earlier this week in connection with BreachForums.
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Taylor Swift's MAGA mayhem! Fans fuming over cozy pic with right-wing podcasters
Pop Star Taylor Swift 's newly released pictures with MAGA spewing podcasters has created a storm on the Internet, with fans now taking shots at her political fidelities Taylor Swift and her boyfriend Travis Kelce were seen in a picture with podcasters Taylor Lewan and Will Compton. The photo was taken during Kelce's 'Tight End University' event in Nashville. In the picture, all four of them, Taylor, Travis, Lewan, and Compton,were flexing their muscles and posing seriously. The podcast guys, Lewan and Compton, are known for their 'Bussin' With The Boys' show. These podcasters once posted a video of Donald Trump shaking their hands, writing 'Firm handshakes for The Boys and 47 🇺🇸,' showing their possible Trump support. Taylor Swift has supported Democrats before, so the internet was confused and shocked to see her with possible MAGA guys, as per the report by The Blast. Fans got angry online The photo went viral, and many Swifties were upset. A Reddit post called the podcasters 'Barstool MAGA influencer bros.' One fan on X wrote, 'The fact that Taylor now hangs with MAGA folks tells me all I need to know…' Another said, 'I need Tayvis to be over so bad. It has brought nothing but hanging out with MAGA', as stated by The Blast. ALSO READ: Did Ryan Reynolds buy his way onto Time magazine? Internet explodes over alleged PR stunt Someone else joked that Taylor needs to 'wrap up this MAGA wag era.' A fan said she's not even releasing music to distract from the fact she's seen with right-wing people. BUT it's also said clearly, Lewan and Compton's actual political views are not confirmed, and they interview people from all political sides. Live Events Many fans stood by her. One said, 'Trump has been throwing tantrums about Taylor since 2019.' Another fan commented, 'So Taylor poses with a few NFL dudes and now she's MAGA? Come on.' Someone else said, 'How would she even know their politics? This is why I want her to break up with Travis', according to The Blast report. Taylor & Travis are still going strong Despite the backlash, Taylor and Travis looked happy and very into each other at the event. Even though Travis was busy hosting the event, he seemed super into Taylor the whole time. Just recently, the couple made their red carpet debut after being together for over a year. A sweet photo showed Taylor with her arms around Travis's neck while he smiled big. Taylor performed at the event Taylor performed "Shake It Off" acoustically at the event. It was her first performance in months after her Eras Tour. NFL player George Kittle said she was 'fantastic' and that the small crowd of 1,000 people went wild. Kittle also shared that Taylor chose to sing and said, 'I think it might be fun to go sing 'Shake It Off,'' and everyone loved the idea, according to the report by The Blast. FAQs Q1. Why are Swifties mad about Taylor's photo with podcasters? The podcasters are linked to MAGA, which upset fans since Taylor supports Democrats. Q2. Are those podcasters really MAGA? It's not confirmed, but they posted a video with Trump, causing the rumors.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jensen Ackles on [Spoiler]'s surprise appearance on ‘Countdown' and the ‘Supernatural' reunion on ‘The Boys'
[WARNING: The following story contains spoilers about the first three episodes of .] It may be hard to believe, but Jensen Ackles can be called a TV veteran since he has been entertaining TV viewers for nearly 30 years. He first grabbed viewers' attention in 1997 as teen Eric Brady on NBC daytime soap Days of Our Lives before chasing demons alongside Jared Padalecki on The CW's Supernatural for 15 years. Since then, he's appeared on ABC's Big Sky, CBS' Tracker, and as superhero Soldier Boy on The Boys (a role he'll reprise for the Prime Video show's fifth and final season). He also found time behind the camera by directing six Supernatural episodes, an episode of Padalecki's Walker, as well as executive-produce and narrate the short-lived Supernatural spin-off The Winchesters. More from GoldDerby Marvel's 'Ironheart' reviews: Critics love Dominique Thorne - the show she's in, not so much Sarah Michelle Gellar shares 'Buffy' reboot hopes: 'My dream is to bring back everyone who has died' Benson Boone reviews are in: Critics flip off 'American Heart' Now, Ackles stays on the right side of the law as sardonic Det. Mark Meachum in the action drama Countdown, which drops its first three installments on Wednesday (the rest of the 13-episode series rolls out weekly). On the series, a Department of Homeland Security agent is suddenly murdered, so a special task force is created with Meachum and others from different arms of law enforcement. However, that murder investigation leads them to bigger threats that has the potential of destroying Los Angeles. Jessica Camacho, Uli Latukefu, Violett Beane, Elliot Knight, and Grey's Anatomy and Euphoria star Eric Dane round out the cast. Here, Ackles tells us more about why Countdown appealed to him, that surprising TV face we saw in the opening of the series, as well as an update on the Supernatural reunion with Padalecki and Misha Collins on The Boys. Gold Derby: You were looking for something to do under your new Amazon deal, so what was it about that just seemed like the right thing to start with? Jensen Ackles: Derek Haas [Countdown creator, showrunner, and executive producer], largely. He and I had a couple conversations and then I flew out to L.A., we had lunch, and there was just an instant kind of connection there. Obviously, his resume and pedigree speaks for itself. The guy is well versed in storytelling and character-building and also doing broadcast, which I come from as well. I felt like he had a really good sense of how to build a set and how to build a crew, and how to build a team and a cast that could really sing. And I gotta be honest, I'm not gonna lie. Since Supernatural, I didn't think it would ever get that fun again. This was some of the most enjoyable days on set I have had in my life. From top to bottom, everybody was there to do solid work but to also have a great time doing it. The days that we were all together for the task force headquarters were the greatest days ever because we were all having fun, and we were on set and we were just laughing and we were playing games in between sets or in between scenes. I hope that the chemistry off-screen translated onscreen. I believe it did and I hope we get to do it for many more years. Tell me about Mark Meachum. How would you describe this guy in your words? He's a inherently good guy that has just been dealt a really, really bad hand. He's trying to make it in this world the best way he knows how. He could have gone the bad route and been a drug dealer or a drug runner or working for the bad guys very easily, which is probably why he did so well undercover. He can relate to these guys more so than somebody who grew up in white-collar America and had loving parents. This guy comes from broken home, broken family, and a broken deal. I think that he decided to not go the dark route and try to try to bring light to the darkness. It's a fun character to play because there is darkness in there. It's an internal battle, so he fights throughout the series. The fact that he's got this terrible diagnosis — again, he's been dealt a bad hand — but instead of opting to just cash in and be like, "I'm done. I'm out," he's like, "No, I'm going to jump on this grenade and save as many people as I possibly can." We learn of Meachum's health issues in the first episode. Can you clarify what he is actually dealing with? It's an inoperable brain tumor. And that was one of the great things that Derek wrote in — this guy is not just a maverick. He's not just a cool guy with sunglasses and smoking cigarettes. Do you know Den of Thieves with Gerard Butler? He's just this tough guy in a leather jacket that should ride for a motorcycle club, but instead he's a cop. I'll watch those movies all day. But Meachum, he's not doing it because he's that guy. He's doing it because he's got nothing to lose and he would rather take risks so that his team doesn't have to. Elizabeth Morris/Prime Video Seeing Milo Ventimiglia in the opening was a big surprise since that has been kept under wraps. How did that come about? Did you make a call? I don't know if this is out of the purview of what we should talk about, but that whole thing was filmed with another actor and who did a great job, but they brought him in as a guest star and they shot that whole sequence. Then, I think once they got into the editing room, they were like, "This feel like it needs to be a familiar face." So it's a testament to the Amazon team and a testament to Derek and Jonathan Brown, who directed the first episode and [is] also our producing director, since they were like, "The stakes need to be heightened here because this sets the whole show on its journey." Derek came to me and says, "I think we're going to reshoot that whole sequence, and it's obviously a lot of money to redo it, but we got to get somebody. Do you know Milo?" I was like, "Of course I know Milo. He'd be fantastic. Does he want to do it?" He said, "We pitched it to him and we think he's in." I sent Milo a text and was like, "Bro!" So he came for a costume fitting, but he came to set to say hi. I hadn't seen Milo in maybe a year or two, but we go way back, obviously. It was really good to see him and I was just giddy that he came on. And he nailed it as I knew he would. It's too bad his character dies so quickly in the opening! Oh, trust me. I was already pitching, "Can we do some flashbacks where Milo comes in and we actually know each other?" Derek was like, "Let me do the writing." We find out Meachum may not be the best at romantic relationships since his fellow task force member, DEA agent Amber Oliveros (Camacho), knows his former fiancée. Is there some romantic tension between Meachum and Oliveros that we may see develop over the first season? You will. I mean, with any good "will they or won't they?", there's got to be tension. That is definitely an intentional situation there, but instead of Meachum trying to win her over, he's more like, "I don't need to deal with that. I'm just gonna stay in my lane." But they are partnered up effectively, so you get a bit of a buddy comedy. And Jess just brought it all to the table and did a fantastic job of bringing a really strong character and somebody who's not gonna placate to Meachum at all. That relationship needs that friction, and it will be kind of your classic "will they or won't they?" So far, it's "won't they?" You directed on and , so any chance we're seeing you in the director's chair at all in Season 1? I would absolutely love to direct at some point. I want to make sure we have a strong foundation and we have our feet on the ground with what we're doing first. Look, if they threw me in the director's chair tomorrow, I would feel abundantly confident in the cast, but more so the crew. Vanessa Joy [Smith], who's our director of photography, is one of the best I've ever worked with in my life. [She] and her crew are just amazing. She did all five seasons of Mayans M.C. and she is an absolute joy. I mean, it's right in her name! She's such a pro. So, yeah, if your DP is of that caliber, it's hard for a director to really fail. I love being in a position directing-wise where I can't fail. You're working with Jensen and Misha on . How would you describe working again with them? We already shot it, and it was like three brothers coming together to have dinner at somebody else's house. It was like, "All right, listen, Mom's not here, but we've got to clear our plates at the end. Everybody just mind your p's and q's. Don't mess this up. We've got a reputation. Let's not destroy it." Best of GoldDerby Everything to know about 'The Pitt' Season 2 Adam Brody, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, and the best of our Emmy Comedy Actor interviews Kristen Bell, Tina Fey, Bridget Everett, and the best of our Emmy Comedy Actress interviews Click here to read the full article.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Here's the New Trailer for the Action-Packed Series ‘Countdown' Starring DAYS Alum Jensen Ackles
The trailer for Jensen Ackles's upcoming Prime Video series Countdown has been out for 24 hours, and it already has over 1.6 million views on YouTube (and counting). Ackles, who played the original Eric Brady on Days of Our Lives, steps into the lead, and from the looks of it, his new character has the ability to get into a lot of trouble and out of a lot of tight spots. The Supernatural and The Boys actor plays Mark Meachum, an LAPD Detective with a bit of a death wish. After the death of a Homeland Security Agent, Meachum is recruited for a secret task force consisting of undercover agents from all branches of law enforcement. According to a Prime Video press release, 'The hunt for the killer soon uncovers a plot far more sinister than anyone could have imagined, kicking off a race against time to save a city of millions.' In the brand-new trailer, this sinister plot is described as a 'Chernobyl-level event.' Hence, the task force will have to face massive explosions, deadly fights, and death-defying situations in order to 'stop a weapon of mass destruction.' No big deal, right? But don't worry, since this is Ackles, the former soap star will mix up the action and danger with a little fun, sarcasm, and character-driven angst. Look for Countdown to debut exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide on Wednesday, June 25. The first three episodes drop first, and then new episodes will follow weekly. The season one finale touches down on Wednesday, September 3. In addition to Ackles, Countdown stars Eric Dane (Grey's Anatomy, The Last Ship, Euphoria), Jessica Camacho (The Flash, Sleepy Hollow), Violett Beane (Death and Other Details), Elliot Knight (The Boys), and Uli Latukefu (Young Rock). Here's the trailer.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What You Need to Know About the Jensen Ackles Action Series, Countdown
Monday night on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jensen Ackles made his Tonight Show debut to promote his new action-packed series, Countdown. During his appearance, he assured everybody that the show is a bit of a throwback. His new series is designed to give you the same nostalgic feel of movies and TV shows like Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, and The A-Team. Here's what you need to know about the Days of Our Lives alum's Prime Video thriller. Here's what you need to know about Prime Video's Countdown: When an officer with the Department of Homeland Security is murdered in broad daylight, LAPD detective Mark Meachum, portrayed by Ackles, is recruited to a secret task force, alongside undercover agents from all branches of law enforcement, to investigate. But the hunt for the killer soon uncovers a plot far more sinister than anyone could have imagined, kicking off a race against time to save a city of millions. Countdown starts streaming on Prime Video on Wednesday, June 25, when the first three episodes are released. One episode drops each subsequent week, with the finale streaming on Wednesday, September 3. So there will be 13 episodes in total. Jensen Ackles (The Boys, Supernatural), Eric Dane (Grey's Anatomy, Euphoria), and Jessica Camacho (The Flash, Watchmen). The series also stars Violett Beane (Death and Other Details), Elliot Knight (The Boys), and Uli Latukefu (Young Rock). Right off the bat, in episode one, look out for a pretty big cameo. And, later in the season, DAYS star Mary Beth Evans is set to make an appearance, according to TV Line. She will play the mother of one of the major characters. TV Line describes Countdown as 24 meets Graceland, which is a fair assessment. On one hand, the energy is urgent, the stakes are high, and the action is intense and pulse-pounding, much like the late, great Fox drama 24. If the high-octane action scenes filmed in Los Angeles don't get you (don't worry, they will), then there's the team aspect that made USA Network's Graceland such a fun show. Countdown's Eric Dane-led task force brings a group of misfits, rebels, and insanely competent individuals together. Thankfully, the chemistry is there from the beginning, even though it's more of a slow build. What we're always afraid of with ensemble casts is that one or more characters will get the short end of the drama stick. But here, you may have to be patient, but every individual is going through something, and their stories are told. This includes Ackles's character, Mark Meachum, an LAPD detective, who faces a lot of challenges that could and should make doing his job difficult. Yet he does it anyway. In the initial trailer for Countdown, Meachum states a mantra. of sorts, 'If I'm going out, I'm going out saving something.' He has a lot going on, but none of that is going to get in the way of him bringing down the bad guys. Take a look at images from the series as well as the recent red carpet premiere and after-party, Courtesy of Prime Video. Sneak Peek Jensen Ackles on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
