Phishing Operation Sentencing
A 24-year-old British man has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for his role in a vast phishing operation that exploited victims across the globe. Zak Coyne was the mastermind behind LabHost, a subscription-based service that provided cybercriminals with access to counterfeit versions of legitimate websites to facilitate their scams.
Financial Impact and Structure
The operation reportedly generated around $230,000 in cryptocurrency as Coyne designed and managed the phishing platform. His illegal gains were systematically laundered through various digital wallets before being converted into cash for his personal bank account, according to the British Crown Prosecution Service.
LabHost was structured into multiple membership tiers, with fees paid in Bitcoin. Users could subscribe to a standard plan at $179 monthly or opt for a more expensive package that allowed simultaneous execution of multiple phishing campaigns for $300. Through this service, the phishing pages were disguised as legitimate entities, including banks, governmental organizations, and popular companies like Amazon, Uber, and Netflix.
Global Reach and Losses
Estimates indicate that LabHost was utilized by criminals operating in 91 different nations, collectively deceiving over a million individuals. The financial toll in the U.K. alone was around $42 million, escalating to losses exceeding $132 million on a worldwide scale. Data from the blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis revealed that wallets associated with LabHost amassed more than $1.1 million in cryptocurrency between August 2021 and April 2024.
Arrest and Law Enforcement Response
Law enforcement officials apprehended Coyne at Manchester Airport in April 2024, with the LabHost website being shut down shortly thereafter. Investigators unearthed significant evidence from his electronic devices, leading London’s Metropolitan Police to characterize the case as an extensive operation. Commander Stephen Clayman condemned Coyne’s actions, stating he inflicted
“misery on thousands of innocent people”
and warned other potential offenders,
“We will track you down and hold you accountable.”
Guilt and Sentencing Remarks
Initially, Coyne had admitted guilt to three counts of criminal conduct in September 2023. During his sentencing, Judge Jenny Lester-Ashworth remarked on the sophistication of LabHost, calling it
“one of the most professional and sophisticated websites in the world”
concerning online fraud, and noted Coyne’s enjoyment and entrenchment in the criminal internet ecosystem.
