MINSK, May 6 (RAPSI) - An investigation into the online theft of $250,000 from US citizens by a group of suspects has wrapped in Belarus, the country's Investigative Committee reported on Tuesday.

A group of criminals based between Minsk and Prague is suspected of having stolen funds from online stores in the United States, Europe and other countries in 2005-2009, the investigators reported.

According to the investigators, the criminals used bank cards mostly held by US citizens. They called banks and online stores, identified themselves as the legitimate card holders, and endorsed the transactions.

The goods purchased were sent to straw men in the United States and later resent to other straw men in Lithuania and Russia.

Some of the suspects also advertised and proliferated pornography online, evaded taxes, engaged in illegal business activity and helped sell software for hacking into computer networks and illegally accessing confidential information.

The total damages from their activity are estimated at $250,000.

The case has been submitted to the Prosecutor General's Office to be forwarded to the court.