Amir Hossein Golshan, a 25-year-old Los Angeles resident, has been handed an eight-year prison sentence by a California federal court for his involvement in a string of cybercrimes. Golshan, described as a “serial cybercriminal and scammer” in court documents, pleaded guilty to unauthorized computer access, wire fraud, and computer fraud, leading to a sentence that also includes a restitution order of $1,218,526. His crime spree, spanning from April 2019 to February 2023, targeted numerous individuals, with prosecutors claiming he defrauded “hundreds” of victims via online scams and digital account takeovers, accumulating a total theft amount of approximately $740,000 from over 500 people.
Prosecutors emphasized Golshan’s manipulation of trust and technology to commit crimes, remarking that he exploited victims’ sense of safety within their homes, wielding the tools of a modern cybercriminal – a computer, cellphone, and internet connection. Golshan’s fraudulent tactics ranged from Zelle merchant fraud, offering fictitious services on Instagram for payment, to more sophisticated SIM-swap attacks. With SIM swapping, he managed to deceive individuals into transferring their phone numbers to SIM cards he controlled, allowing him to reset passwords and hijack social media accounts. One victim, an Instagram influencer, fell prey to Golshan’s ploy, wherein he gained access to her account and extorted money from her friends using various online payment platforms.
The court documents detailed his coercive methods, including threats to delete profiles unless ransom demands were met, culminating in approximately $82,000 fraudulently obtained from 500 victims. Golshan’s actions highlight the dangers posed by cybercriminals leveraging digital platforms to exploit unsuspecting individuals for financial gain.
