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Virus repair cost a man $6 million - malware linked to Opus Dei plot
TechEye ^ | 10 Nov 2010 | Nick Farrell

Posted on 05/04/2011 7:59:43 AM PDT by Alex Murphy

A US court has heard how it cost a great-grandson of an oil industry tycoon at least $ 6 million after he took his computer in to the workshop to repair it after it was infected with a virus.

The victim was probably jazz pianist and composer Roger Davidson, an heir of oil tycoon Conrad Schlumberger, although the authorities have refused to name him.

The victim took his computer to 36-year-old Vickram Bedi and his girlfriend Helga Invarsdottir after it developed a virus.

According to prosecutors, the pair cooked up a scheme which convinced Davidson that his life was in danger.

They told him that while investigating the virus, they had found that the virus had been tracked to a hard drive in Honduras. OK, this is a pretty good service. Most computer repair places would have wiped the hard-drive and reinstalled the operating system. Tracking down the source of the virus is not something they tend to do.

But the victim apparently didn't know that. According to the New York Daily News, which we get for the free bagel, media friendly Bedi claimed his uncle was an Indian military officer who was sent on a reconnaissance mission to Honduras and seized the hard drive of the computer virus culprits.

"Bedi further related that his uncle obtained information that Polish priests affiliated with Opus Dei were attempting to possibly harm the victim," prosecutors said.

Apparently the CIA had contracted the computer repair shop worker to prevent the priests from infiltrating the U.S. government.

The victim paid the pair up to $160,000 a month for physical protection, because you often pay for protection from your computer repairshop. Inspector Knacker uncovered the scam in July and alerted the victim.

Bedi and Invarsdottir, the daughter of a wealthy businessman from Iceland, were arrested Thursday and arraigned Friday on charges of felony grand larceny.

Media friendly Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos said that stories don't get much more far fetched than this, but they do underline the importance for everyone to be on guard against scams.

Shesh, we are more worried about a plot by right wing Opus Dei Catholic priests to infiltrate the US government, which suspiciously is not being investigated.


TOPICS: Catholic; Humor; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: opusdei
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The victim took his computer to 36-year-old Vickram Bedi and his girlfriend Helga Invarsdottir after it developed a virus....They told him that while investigating the virus, they had found that the virus had been tracked to a hard drive in Honduras. OK, this is a pretty good service. Most computer repair places would have wiped the hard-drive and reinstalled the operating system. Tracking down the source of the virus is not something they tend to do. But the victim apparently didn't know that.

According to the New York Daily News, which we get for the free bagel, media friendly Bedi claimed his uncle was an Indian military officer who was sent on a reconnaissance mission to Honduras and seized the hard drive of the computer virus culprits. "Bedi further related that his uncle obtained information that Polish priests affiliated with Opus Dei were attempting to possibly harm the victim," prosecutors said. Apparently the CIA had contracted the computer repair shop worker to prevent the priests from infiltrating the U.S. government....

....The victim paid the pair up to $160,000 a month for physical protection, because you often pay for protection from your computer repairshop. Inspector Knacker uncovered the scam in July and alerted the victim....

It's a six month old news story, but it's hilarious nonethless.

1 posted on 05/04/2011 7:59:47 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
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To: Alex Murphy

I see his girlfriend is from Iceland.


2 posted on 05/04/2011 8:02:03 AM PDT by Perdogg (0bama got 0sama?? Really, was 0sama on the golf course?)
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To: All

i can remove virus and such for less.... er.... 10k a month.


3 posted on 05/04/2011 8:02:30 AM PDT by VAFreedom (maybe i should take a nap before work)
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To: Alex Murphy

4 posted on 05/04/2011 8:03:19 AM PDT by Perdogg (0bama got 0sama?? Really, was 0sama on the golf course?)
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To: Alex Murphy

5 posted on 05/04/2011 8:07:10 AM PDT by TSgt ("Some folks just need killin'" - Sling Blade (2006))
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To: Alex Murphy


"...priests affiliated with Opus Dei were attempting to possibly harm the victim,..."


6 posted on 05/04/2011 8:09:38 AM PDT by shibumi (Vampire Outlaw of the Milky Way)
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To: Alex Murphy

...a fool and his money...


7 posted on 05/04/2011 8:12:28 AM PDT by CIB-173RDABN (California does not have a money problem, it has a spending problem.)
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To: Alex Murphy

Some people are too stupid to have wealth.


8 posted on 05/04/2011 8:12:43 AM PDT by Grunthor (http://www.hermancain.com/index.asp)
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To: Alex Murphy
a plot by right wing Opus Dei Catholic priests to infiltrate the US government, which suspiciously is not being investigated

Well, if anyone should be suspiciously investigated, it's the US government.

9 posted on 05/04/2011 8:13:38 AM PDT by Campion ("Fallacies do not cease to be fallacies when they become fashions." -- GKC)
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To: Alex Murphy
Apparently the CIA had contracted the computer repair shop worker to prevent the priests from infiltrating the U.S. government.

Some people are so dumb you can *almost* think they deserve to lose their money. Even TV shows like Mission Impossible and Burn Notice have more believable scams in their plots, ascribing some level of intelligence to the marks.

10 posted on 05/04/2011 8:13:43 AM PDT by antiRepublicrat
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To: Perdogg

Why does it not surprise me to see criminal grifters in a picture with Barky?


11 posted on 05/04/2011 8:15:23 AM PDT by jospehm20
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To: Alex Murphy

It costs about twice the $6 mil to really fix a victim so dumb.


12 posted on 05/04/2011 8:29:13 AM PDT by azhenfud (The government is not best which secures life and property-there is a more valuable thing-manhood.)
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To: Alex Murphy

Somebody should sue them for infringing on the copyright of The DaVinci Code. Maybe get a piece of that money.


13 posted on 05/04/2011 8:29:22 AM PDT by Cicero
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To: Grunthor

“It’s not surprising that fools and their money are soon parted. What’s amazing is that they ever got together in the first place.” Heinlein.


14 posted on 05/04/2011 8:32:31 AM PDT by Lurker (The avalanche has begun. The pebbles no longer have a vote.)
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To: jospehm20
You mean other criminal grifters?
15 posted on 05/04/2011 8:32:49 AM PDT by Campion ("Fallacies do not cease to be fallacies when they become fashions." -- GKC)
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To: Campion

Yes, fellow criminal grifters.


16 posted on 05/04/2011 8:36:17 AM PDT by jospehm20
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To: shibumi
NOBody expects the Spanish Inquisition

NOBody expects the Spanish Inquisition!!!!

Chapman: Trouble at mill.
Cleveland: Oh no - what kind of trouble?
Chapman: One on't cross beams gone owt askew on treadle.
Cleveland: Pardon?
Chapman: One on't cross beams gone owt askew on treadle.
Cleveland: I don't understand what you're saying.
Chapman: [slightly irritatedly and with exaggeratedly clear accent] One of the cross beams has gone out askew on the treadle.
Cleveland: Well what on earth does that mean?
Chapman: *I* don't know - Mr Wentworth just told me to come in here and say that there was trouble at the mill, that's all - I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition.

[JARRING CHORD]

[The door flies open and Cardinal Ximinez of Spain [Palin] enters, flanked by two junior cardinals. Cardinal Biggles [Jones] has goggles pushed over his forehead. Cardinal Fang [Gilliam] is just Cardinal Fang]

Ximinez: NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... Our *four*...no... *Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise.... I'll come in again.

[The Inquisition exits]

Chapman: I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition.

[JARRING CHORD]

[The cardinals burst in]

Ximinez: NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Amongst our weaponry are such diverse elements as: fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency, an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope, and nice red uniforms - Oh damn!
[To Cardinal Biggles] I can't say it - you'll have to say it.
Biggles: What?
Ximinez: You'll have to say the bit about 'Our chief weapons are ...'
Biggles: [rather horrified]: I couldn't do that...

[Ximinez bundles the cardinals outside again]

Chapman: I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition.

[JARRING CHORD]

[The cardinals enter]

Biggles: Er.... Nobody...um....
Ximinez: Expects...
Biggles: Expects... Nobody expects the...um...the Spanish...um...
Ximinez: Inquisition.
Biggles: I know, I know! Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition. In fact, those who do expect -
Ximinez: Our chief weapons are...
Biggles: Our chief weapons are...um...er...
Ximinez: Surprise...
Biggles: Surprise and --
Ximinez: Okay, stop. Stop. Stop there - stop there. Stop. Phew! Ah! ... our chief weapons are surprise...blah blah blah. Cardinal, read the charges.
Fang: You are hereby charged that you did on diverse dates commit heresy against the Holy Church. 'My old man said follow the--'
Biggles: That's enough.
[To Cleveland] Now, how do you plead?
Clevelnd: We're innocent.
Ximinez: Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

[DIABOLICAL LAUGHTER]

Biggles: We'll soon change your mind about that!

[DIABOLICAL ACTING]

Ximinez: Fear, surprise, and a most ruthless-- [controls himself with a supreme effort] Ooooh! Now, Cardinal -- the rack!

[Biggles produces a plastic-coated dish-drying rack. Ximinez looks at it and clenches his teeth in an effort not to lose control. He hums heavily to cover his anger]

Ximinez: You....Right! Tie her down.

[Fang and Biggles make a pathetic attempt to tie her on to the drying rack]

Ximinez:Right! How do you plead?
Clevelnd: Innocent.
Ximinez: Ha! Right! Cardinal, give the rack [oh dear] give the rack a turn.

[Biggles stands their awkwardly and shrugs his shoulders]

Biggles: I....
Ximinez: [gritting his teeth] I *know*, I know you can't. I didn't want to say anything. I just wanted to try and ignore your crass mistake.
Biggles: I...
Ximinez: It makes it all seem so stupid.
Biggles: Shall I...?
Ximinez: No, just pretend for God's sake. Ha! Ha! Ha!

[Biggles turns an imaginary handle on the side of the dish-rack]

[Cut to them torturing a dear old lady, Marjorie Wilde]

Ximinez: Now, old woman -- you are accused of heresy on three counts -- heresy by thought, heresy by word, heresy by deed, and heresy by action -- *four* counts. Do you confess?
Wilde: I don't understand what I'm accused of.
Ximinez: Ha! Then we'll make you understand! Biggles! Fetch...THE CUSHIONS!

[JARRING CHORD]

[Biggles holds out two ordinary modern household cushions]

Biggles: Here they are, lord.
Ximinez: Now, old lady -- you have one last chance. Confess the heinous sin of heresy, reject the works of the ungodly -- *two* last chances. And you shall be free -- *three* last chances. You have three last chances, the nature of which I have divulged in my previous utterance.
Wilde: I don't know what you're talking about.
Ximinez: Right! If that's the way you want it -- Cardinal! Poke her with the soft cushions!

[Biggles carries out this rather pathetic torture]

Ximinez: Confess! Confess! Confess!
Biggles: It doesn't seem to be hurting her, lord.
Ximinez: Have you got all the stuffing up one end?
Biggles: Yes, lord.
Ximinez [angrily hurling away the cushions]: Hm! She is made of harder stuff! Cardinal Fang! Fetch...THE COMFY CHAIR!

[JARRING CHORD]

[Zoom into Fang's horrified face]

Fang [terrified]: The...Comfy Chair?

[Biggles pushes in a comfy chair -- a really plush one]

Ximinez: So you think you are strong because you can survive the soft cushions. Well, we shall see. Biggles! Put her in the Comfy Chair!

[They roughly push her into the Comfy Chair]

Ximinez [with a cruel leer]: Now -- you will stay in the Comfy Chair until lunch time, with only a cup of coffee at eleven. [aside, to Biggles] Is that really all it is?
Biggles: Yes, lord.
Ximinez: I see. I suppose we make it worse by shouting a lot, do we? Confess, woman. Confess! Confess! Confess! Confess
Biggles: I confess!
Ximinez: Not you!


17 posted on 05/04/2011 8:44:29 AM PDT by Cronos (Libspeak: "Yes there is proof. And no, for the sake of privacy I am not posting it here.")
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To: Alex Murphy

They learned their trade from Mr. Community Organizer himself. That must be their graduation picture.


18 posted on 05/04/2011 9:15:54 AM PDT by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
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To: Alex Murphy

Jazz musician and composer, eh? He may think so, but I’ll bet he has been a useless, talentless parasite living off great-granddad’s trust fund for his entire life.


19 posted on 05/04/2011 9:40:13 AM PDT by ccmay (Too much Law; not enough Order.)
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To: Campion

Snork.


20 posted on 05/04/2011 11:22:31 AM PDT by lastchance ("Nisi credideritis, non intelligetis" St. Augustine)
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