Tampa, Florida – United States Lawyer Roger B. Handberg proclaims the arrest and extradition of Dariy Pankov a/okay/a “dpxaker.” Pankov is charged with conspiracy, entry machine fraud, and pc fraud. If convicted on all counts, he faces a most penalty of 47 years in federal jail. The indictment additionally notifies Pankov that america intends to forfeit $358,437, which is alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offenses.
Pankov, a citizen and resident of Russia, was taken into custody by Georgian authorities within the Republic of Georgia, on October 4, 2022, and extradited to america pursuant to a request from america. Pankov appeared earlier than United States Justice of the Peace Christopher P. Tuite on February 21, 2023, in Tampa, Florida and was ordered detained pending trial.
In keeping with the indictment, Pankov developed a malicious software program program named “NLBrute.” The highly effective malware was able to compromising protected computer systems by decrypting login credentials, comparable to passwords. Pankov used NLBrute to acquire the login credentials of tens of hundreds of computer systems situated everywhere in the world. He marketed, offered, and had others promote on his behalf, NLBrute to different cybercriminals for a payment. Pankov offered the stolen login credentials on a darkish net web site that specialised within the buy and sale of entry to compromised computer systems. As soon as offered, these credentials had been used to facilitate a variety of criminality, together with ransomware assaults and tax fraud. Pankov listed the credentials of greater than 35,000 compromised computer systems on the market on the web site, and obtained greater than $350,000 in illicit proceeds.
An indictment is merely a proper cost {that a} defendant has dedicated a number of violations of federal legal legislation, and each defendant is presumed harmless until, and till, confirmed responsible.
This investigation was led by the Inside Income Service—Prison Investigation, Tampa Discipline Workplace, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tampa Discipline Workplace. Substantial help was supplied by the Division of Justice’s Workplace of Worldwide Affairs and United States Marshals Service. This investigation additionally benefited from international legislation enforcement cooperation by the Georgian Prosecutor Normal’s Workplace, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Inside Affairs. Will probably be prosecuted by Assistant United States Lawyer Carlton C. Gammons.
