KEY POINTS:
The teenager at the centre of an international cyber scam could face extradition to the United States, where cyber crimes carry strong penalties including long jail sentences.
Malicious software that Whitianga 18-year-old Owen Walker is suspected of having created is central to investigations in Holland and the United
States.
If evidence is found that warrants charges, Walker could be charged either here or in the United States.
Maarten Kleintjes, manager of the New Zealand police national electronic crime laboratory, said it was up to the United States to decide whether to extradite Walker, who goes by the cyber ID of AKILL.
The FBI informed New Zealand authorities of Walker's alleged activities and sent an agent to assist in the search of his home.
The FBI believes AKILL is "the ringleader of an elite international botnet coding group that is responsible for infecting more than one million computers" and has caused "more than US$20 million ($25.75 million) in economic loss".
Eight people have either been charged, pleaded guilty or been sentenced in the United States in relation to the FBI's investigation focusing on Walker's software. Three have so far been sentenced to jail terms ranging from 12 to 42 months.
Walker has been interviewed a second time and an FBI agent who came to New Zealand to assist in the search of Walker's house is still in the country.
Detective Inspector Peter Devoy, of Waikato, who heads the New Zealand inquiry, said the agent was "supporting and advising".
Mr Devoy said examination of the hard-drives was not a quick job and he might have information late next week.
Walker's father, Billy Whyte, said the family had been advised not to comment at the moment.
Cyber crimes are covered in sections 248-252 of New Zealand's Crimes Act. A knowledgeable legal source told the Weekend Herald the act did not expressly outlaw making a botnet "but once you start making it available to others you have got a problem".
A cyber attack carried out with the knowledge it was likely to endanger life carries a prison maximum of 10 years, intentionally and recklessly damaging or deleting software and a denial of service attack is punishable by up to seven years, while the section covering selling or supplying malicious software carries a maximum of two years.
Some cyber whizkids have personality disorders. A personality disorder gave rise to legal questions as to whether it fell under the Crimes Act's definition of insanity.
Walker's mother last week said her son had Aspergers disorder, a form of autism.
