In a dramatic turn of events, the Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB) was targeted in an extortion attempt involving stolen customer data.

The criminals, including a former ZKB employee, demanded 61 Bitcoins, equivalent to around 3 million Swiss Francs, threatening to release customer information if their demands were not met.

The ZKB promptly involved the Zurich Cantonal Police and the public prosecutor, leading to the swift arrest of four individuals aged 21 and 22. The former employee, who left the bank last year, is now in custody.

The bank confirmed that no customer data was published and assured that their systems were never compromised.

The ZKB has contacted the affected customers directly and emphasized their commitment to not yielding to extortion.