Hacker faces Thai prison

Former hacker Kim 'Kimble' Schmitz has been arrested in Thailand and charged with insider dealing.

Schmitz is accused of using insider knowledge to buy shares worth $375,000 to sell them for $1.5m as a part of his KimVestor Ponzi - investment scheme, according to German newspaper reports.

He also told German media that he will commit suicide on his 28th birthday, which is today. Schmitz's home page http://www.kimble.org , features an image of a tombstone with the following statement:

"Enough is Enough. Kim Schmitz will die next Monday. See it on this Web site live and for free. When the countdown is over, Kim steps into a new world and wants you to see it."

Schmitz, working these days as a security consultant, gained publicity earlier last year when he promised financial back-up to the ailing Letsbuyit.com.

He later became involved with offering a $10m reward for information leading to the arrest of Osama Bin Laden as well as with the Young Intelligent Hackers Against Terrorism (YIHAT), a motley crew of hackers aiming to track down international terrorists.