Ukrainian hacker Vyacheslav Penchukov Tank, often known online as “Tank,” was sought for a multimillion-dollar hacking operation.
Vyacheslav was the primary suspect in a racketeering network that is believed to have stolen millions of dollars from the bank accounts of Americans and other countries in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
Why did the Swiss arrest Vyacheslav Penchukov Tank? Alleged Ukrainian Cybercriminal
For stealing millions of dollars from the bank deposits of Americans and other nationals in the 2000s and early 2010s, Vyacheslav Penchukov Tank was detained.
Raphael Frei, a spokesman for the Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police, said in an email that Penchukov was detained in the canton of Geneva, Switzerland, on October 23 and that Swiss authorities “decided to approve” his extradition to the U.S. on Tuesday.
It occurs as U.S. law enforcement officials keep an eye on any chances that the Ukrainian conflict may present for catching suspected cybercriminals fleeing the violence.
Ukrainian hacker Vyacheslav Penchukov Tank, often known online as “Tank”.(Source: CNN)
According to reports, the racketeering plot comprised breaking into computers to obtain the login credentials for the victims’ bank accounts before hiring Americans to help wire the money abroad.
The excellent plan sparked a global quest, which started more than ten years ago when FBI agents went looking for the individuals in Ukraine.
According to Frei, Penchukov can challenge the extradition ruling in a Swiss court. Uncertainty surrounded Penchukov’s legal representation in Switzerland. Both the FBI and the U.S. Justice Department declined to comment.
Where is Vyacheslav Penchukov Tank Now?
After being detained in Switzerland, Vyacheslav Penchukov is currently awaiting extradition to the U.S.
In Nebraska’s federal court, where at least two other Ukrainian men he allegedly worked with have already been tried, Penchukov is wanted.
Some of Penchukov’s recent contacts were alarmed by his detention, according to Alex Holden, a cybersecurity specialist with Ukrainian ancestry who tracked Penchukov online.
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According to a previous article from MIT Technology Review, FBI agents began investigating Penchukov and his alleged connections in Ukraine as early as 2010.
Even though Ukraine and the United States have collaborated on various counter-cybercrime problems, some alleged cybercriminals have sought asylum there.
Penchukov’s recent travel to Switzerland seems to have given U.S. law enforcement a window. U.S. prosecutors charge Penchukov with racketeering, identity theft, and bank and computer fraud.
How Did Vyacheslav Penchukov Tank Drained Millions Of Dollars
The Nebraska District Attorney’s Office filed a superseding indictment in 2014 accusing Vyacheslav Penchukov Tank and eight others of participating in “a wide-ranging racketeering organization and conspiracy who attacked thousands of Company computers with malicious programs known as “Zeus.”
“Passwords, bank details, and other data necessary to access internet banking accounts were seized by the ‘Zeus’ malware,” according to the indictment.
Members of Zeus cybercrime group.(Source: Bleep Static)
The defendants were all accused of “conspiracy to engage in criminal conduct, conspiracy to commit computer fraud and theft, aggravated identity theft, and multiple counts of bank fraud” since it was used to steal millions of dollars from victims.
To access victims’ accounts and transfer money to money mules who then forwarded it to the ringleaders after taking a commission, the banking trojan discreetly recorded victims’ login information as they used it.
Yevhen Kulibaba and Yuriy Konovalenko, two of Penchukov’s co-defendants, were apprehended in 2014 and later pleaded guilty.
According to Krebs, Tank escaped punishment in Ukraine because of his political ties to Victor Yanukovych, the deposed Ukrainian president who now lives in Russia.
Because of the agency’s pervasive corruption at the time, Krebs claims that he was informed in 2010 that the Security Service of Ukraine was preparing search warrants for his home.
