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Hunting a Cyber Criminal


Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev
Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev

The enormous technological advances of the past 15 years have brought enormous benefits to society, from improving communications to enabling medical research and technology.

The enormous technological advances of the past 15 years have brought enormous benefits to society, from improving communications to enabling medical research and technology. But the same innovations that allow consumers to purchase goods from vendors two continents away, have also enabled transnational criminal organizations to expand their illicit enterprises, and to find new ways to commit old crimes, such as theft.

According to Department of Justice indictments, thirty-one year old Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev, a citizen of Russia who is known online as “lucky12345” and “slavik,” is the alleged leader of a cyber racketeering enterprise based in Russia and Ukraine that was responsible for the development and operation of malware known as GameOver Zeus and Cryptolocker. GameOver Zeus infected up to one million computers across the globe, causing more than $100 million in financial losses to American business and consumers.

Bogachev was indicted in the District of Nebraska in 2012 and in the Western District of Pennsylvania in 2014. Although the U.S. government, working with international partners, was able to disrupt the malicious software in coordinated action in May and June 2014, Bogachev himself remains at large.

On February 24th, the United States Department of State offered a reward for information that helps law enforcement bring Evgeniy Bogachev to justice—up to $3 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction. This is the highest reward U.S. authorities have ever offered in a cyber case.

More information about Bogachev is available on the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program website at www.state.gov/tocrewards. Anyone with information on Bogachev should 1-800-CALLFBI, that is (225-5324), or the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. You may also submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

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