Indiana health network pays about $55,000 ransom to hackers

washington

Banking panel again backs Trump Fed pick

The Senate Banking Committee has voted for a second time to approve President Donald Trump’s nomination of Jerome Powell to be the next chairman of the Federal Reserve.

The approval Wednesday was by voice vote, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, voting no. The re-vote was needed because the full Senate did not take up Powell’s nomination last year. The term of current Fed Chair Janet Yellen ends on Feb. 3.

The committee also approved Fed board member Randal Quarles for a full 14-year term on the Fed board. He won approval last year for an unexpired term which ends on Jan. 31.

greenfield, ind.

Health network pays $55K ransom to hackers

A suburban Indianapolis health network said it paid a $55,000 ransom to hackers to regain access to hospital computer systems, making it the latest health system around the globe targeted by money-seeking hackers.

Hancock Health said an “unidentified criminal group” initiated the attack late last week and targeted more than 1,400 files. The health system said it was given seven days to pay a ransom in bitcoins, and after the virtual currency was transferred, its staff regained access to the computer systems.

miami

‘Cocaine cowboy’ pilot convicted in fraud ring

A pilot who once smuggled tons of drugs for Colombian cartels during Miami’s “cocaine cowboys” era in the 1980s was convicted Wednesday of playing a key role in an auto fraud ring that stole at least 150 cars using a fake paper trail.

A federal jury found Mickey Munday, 72, guilty of mail fraud and conspiracy charges, each of which carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence. Several others in the fraud ring previously pleaded guilty and testified against Munday, saying his role was transporting the cars and hiding them until they could be sold.