DARKMARKET

down by an American court for hacking. The prosecution calculated that his hacking resulted in credit-card losses of more than $85 million. He is now an inmate at the low-security Federal Correctional Institu- tion Lompoc in southern California, where he is allowed no access to computers of any sort.

Vision's hacking ability is unparalleled - he is unquestionably one of the smartest men serving time in the United States. At a closed conference in the autumn of 2010 I discussed his case with one of the most senior officials from the Department of Homeland Security to deal with cyber threats. He agreed with me that having a computer user of Vision's ability languishing in jail was probably a misuse of the US's human assets, but pointed out that Vision's ego - almost as large as his intellect - had also played a major part in the affair.

Nicholas Joehle, aka Dron

Joehle has been released from prison, having served his sentence for credit-card fraud and the illegal manufacture of skimming machines.

Hakim B, aka Lord Kaisersose

Lord Kaisersose is in Marseilles still awaiting trial, but on bail. France is another country where the wheels of justice could use a spot of grease.

Cha0

Cha0 is either running his businesses in Slovenia or in jail, depending on whether the real Cha0 is Şahin or Çağatay Evyapan. The latter is on remand at one of Turkey's highest-security facilities in Tekirdağ. His trial is due to begin this year, but the prosecutor has dropped the more serious charges relating to organised crime.

Mert Ortaç, aka SLayraCkEr

Mert was on remand in an Istanbul prison facing charges relating to the Akbank case when he was released on a technicality in March 2010. He was rearrested in November 2010 and, at the time of writing, is