Calgary police have charged four Quebec residents after a two-and-a-half year investigation into an online loan company accused of using cyberattacks to harass customers.The case began in December 2022 when a Calgarian reported being targeted by a Telephony Denial of Service (TDoS) attack that flooded their phone with thousands of calls in a single day. Investigators later identified five more victims, including a shopping mall and a medical clinic, whose lines were disabled by the attacks. Police allege the harassment was linked to a lender called Sonic Cash 500..A series of raids in Laval and Montreal in February 2024 uncovered thousands of documents and more than 200 electronic devices. The operation, police said, crippled the company’s ability to continue targeting Canadians.On September 24 and 25 of this year, Calgary investigators with the help of Quebec police arrested four suspects. Steven Mancini, 41, and Johnny Rioux, 43, both of Laval, were charged with extortion, harassing communications, fraud over $5,000 and charging a criminal interest rate. Scott Geddes, 44, and Megan Wartoukian, 35, of Montreal, were each charged with extortion and harassing communications. .All four are due in court in Calgary in November.“This case shows the growing sophistication of cybercrime and the damage it can do to families and businesses,” said Staff Sgt. Ryan Nolan of the CPS Cyber/Forensics Unit.“For over two years, investigators worked across jurisdictions to disrupt a network causing real harm.”The Alberta government said its Consumer Investigations Unit also assisted, along with Quebec police, the RCMP and border services officers.Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally said the bust highlighted “the importance of collaboration in keeping families and businesses safe.”Police are urging Calgarians hit by cyber-enabled crimes to report them and are warning consumers to avoid payday or high-cost lenders that are not licenced in Alberta.
