(Washington, D.C.) A multi-year cyber investigation, led by the U.S. Secret Service, culminated in Virginia federal court with the sentencing of Alexander Tverdokhlebov, 29, of Los Angeles. Tverdokhlebov, who emigrated from Russia in 2007 and subsequently obtained U.S. citizenship, was an active member of several highly exclusive Russian-speaking cybercrime forums since at least 2008.
Through his membership on these forums, Tverdokhlebov forged numerous lucrative business partnerships with other Russian-speaking cybercriminals, with whom he exchanged hacking tools, services and stolen personal and financial information.
Tverdokhlebov was arrested by the U.S. Secret Service, Los Angeles Field Office in February of 2017. Tverdokhlebov previously pled guilty in March, 2017 to Title 18 United States Code 1343, wire fraud. This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA).
“This case once again demonstrates the Secret Service is committed to protecting our nation’s critical financial infrastructure, said Secret Service Director Randolph D. Alles. We are keenly aware of these types of underground criminal marketplaces and cybercrime forums that specialize in the sale of stolen financial information and the threats they pose to the financial system. For decades, the Secret Service has been aggressive in investigating financial crimes and has a long history of successfully pursuing cyber criminals abroad and in the U.S.”
Through these exclusive Russian-speaking cybercrime forums, Tverdokhlebov offered a variety of illegal services that included the laundering of stolen funds and the operation of several botnets used to steal credit card and other financial information. At various times, Tverdokhlebov boasted on cybercrime forums that he possessed 40,000 stolen credit card numbers and could control up to 500,000 infected computers. In order to monetize the financial information that he stole, Tverdokhlebov would sell it to other cybercriminals or provide the information to accomplices who would use it to make fraudulent purchases or fraudulent withdrawals from victims’ accounts.
It is estimated that Tverdokhlebov is responsible for between $9.5 and $25 million in losses as a result of his criminal actions. At the time of his arrest, the Secret Service seized $272,000 in hundred dollar bills from several safe deposit boxes in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Additionally, the Secret Service has seized Bitcoin accounts belonging to Tverdokhlebov that are currently valued at approximately $5 million.
