A Wisconsin man has been charged for his role in a series of DDoS attacks against Koch Industries during Anonymous’ OpWisconsin in 2011. Anonymous’ beef with the Koch brothers started during Wisconsin’s union struggles, championed by Gov. Scott Walker.
Eric J. Rosol, 37, of Black Creek, Wis.,has been charged with one count of conspiracy to damage a protected computer and one count of damaging a protected computer.
The indictment alleges that Rosol took part in OpWisconsin, along with other supporters of Anonymous and used LOIC to launch a DDoS attack against quiltednorthern.com, a website and brand owned by Koch Industries. In addition, Rosol also is said to have taken part in the DDoS against Kochind.com, the main domain for Koch Industries.
In propaganda promoting OpWisconsin at the time, Anonymous linked Koch Industries via financial support, to the support movement behind Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s collective bargaining plans, which were overturned once, but later affirmed by the state Supreme Court.
“The Koch brothers have made a science of fabricating ‘grassroots’ organizations and advertising campaigns to support them in an attempt to sway voters based on their falsehoods. Americans for Prosperity, Club for Growth and Citizens United are just a few of these organizations. In a world where corporate money has become the lifeblood of political influence, the labor unions are one of the few ways citizens have to fight against corporate greed,” Anonymous’ propaganda for OpWisconsin accused.
At the peak of operation, OpWisconsin had several hundred supporters; however it is unknown how many of them actually launched a DDoS attack via LOIC. In addition to Rosol, 11 other people were targeted by the FBI for their participation in OpWisconsin, but it would seem that he is the first one to be charged.
If convicted, Rosol faces five years in prison and up to $250,000 on each count in fines.