Estonian Hacker Imprisoned for 7 Years for Theft of 240,000 Credit Card Details

Soft media.com published a report on 19th July, 2012 stating how a 28-year old Estonian Aleksandr Suvorov has been taken behind the bars for 7 years by a New York court for his involvement in several hacking instances leading to the theft of over 240,000 credit card numbers.

Suvorov, working as an assistant of Albert Gonzalez, who is highly accustomed in identity theft ever being prosecuted by the US Government, in 2009 for hacking restaurant chain, Dave & Buster's database to wire fraud conspiracy.

Court papers exposed how Suvorov, Gonzalez, and a third accomplice hacked into the systems of Dave & Buster's Inc. to install malware and steal all credit card details. Gonzalez sent malware from Miami to the third accomplice in Ukraine. The third accomplice then passed on to Suvorov who gained access to 11 Dave & Buster's restaurants across the US. Eventually, Suvorov and associates stole data from 81,005 credit cards.

In November 2011, Suvorov pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the sale of more than 160,000 stolen credit card numbers to an agent of US Secret Service.

AFP published a report on 19th July, 2012 quoting Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer saying Suvorov joined a scheme to retail the credit card numbers hacked from consumers. Computer hackers like Suvorov victimizes businesses and individuals pretense a severe threat to their financial security. Authorities hope that the conviction sends out a clear message to ones who may attempt to commit such crimes.

Esecurityplanet.com published a report on 19th July, 2012 quoting US Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan saying that this case exhibits the potential held by cyber criminals to impose significant damage to nation's financial sector and at the same time, severe investigation resulting sentences should serve as a warning to cybercriminals that law enforcement will continue being strict to them.

In conclusion, Sullivan acclaimed Secret Service to be in concurrence with many law enforcements partners across United States and around the world that continues to fight these crimes by adapting their investigative methodologies. He also acclaimed that the long-established success attained in the investigation is mainly due to the cooperation of many international law enforcement agencies.

Related article: Estonia Calls for International Cooperation to Combat Cyber Crime

» SPAMfighter News - 7/26/2012