British law enforcement has arrested two teenage members of the notorious Scattered Spider hacking group for their alleged role in a devastating cyber attack on Transport for London (TfL) in August 2024.

## The Arrests

The National Crime Agency (NCA) arrested 19-year-old Thalha Jubair from East London and 18-year-old Owen Flowers from Walsall, West Midlands, at their homes on Tuesday. Jubair operates under multiple aliases including EarthtoStar, Brad, Austin, and @autistic.

Flowers had previously been arrested in September 2024 for the TfL attack but was released on bail. Investigators have since uncovered evidence linking him to attacks on U.S. healthcare companies, including SSM Health Care Corporation and Sutter Health.

## The Transport for London Attack

The August 2024 cyber attack on TfL caused significant disruption to London’s public transportation system and resulted in millions of pounds in losses. As part of the UK’s critical national infrastructure, TfL serves millions of passengers daily across buses, trains, and underground services.

“This attack caused significant disruption and millions in losses to TfL,” said Deputy Director Paul Foster of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit. He noted that Scattered Spider represents a growing threat from English-speaking cybercriminals.

## International Criminal Enterprise

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed separate charges against Jubair, alleging his involvement in a massive cybercrime operation spanning from May 2022 to September 2025. The charges include:

– **120 computer network intrusions**
– **Extortion of 47 U.S. entities**
– **At least $115 million in ransom payments collected**

### Criminal Methods

The group employed sophisticated social engineering techniques to:
1. Gain unauthorized access to target networks
2. Steal and encrypt sensitive information
3. Demand ransom payments for data recovery
4. Threaten to leak stolen data if payments weren’t made

## Financial Impact and Seizures

In July 2024, law enforcement seized cryptocurrency wallets allegedly controlled by Jubair, confiscating digital assets worth approximately $36 million. Investigators also traced an $8.4 million transfer from victim proceeds to another wallet under Jubair’s control.

## Legal Consequences

Jubair faces severe federal charges including computer fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering. If convicted on all counts, he could face up to **95 years in prison**.

“Jubair went to great and sophisticated lengths to keep himself anonymous while he and his criminal associates continued to attack these victims and extort tens of millions of dollars,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba.

## Growing Cyber Threat

This case highlights the increasing threat posed by young, tech-savvy criminals operating from English-speaking countries. The Scattered Spider group represents a new generation of cybercriminals capable of targeting critical infrastructure and major corporations with devastating effectiveness.

The arrests demonstrate international cooperation in combating cybercrime, with UK and U.S. authorities working together to dismantle sophisticated criminal networks that threaten both national security and economic stability.