Brandon Bourret, Computer Fraud, Colorado 2012
Colorado Man Arrested for Breaching Photobucket.com
Two men have been arrested after breaching the computer services of Colorado-based Photobucket, a company that operates an image and video hosting website.
Brandon Bourret, 39, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Athanasios Andrianakis, 26, of Sunnyvale, California, were arrested today without incident at their homes.
According to the indictment, beginning on July 12, 2012, and continuing through July 1, 2014, Bourret and Andrianakis knowingly conspired to commit acts and offenses against the United States, namely computer fraud and abuse, access device fraud, identification document fraud, and wire fraud.
The purpose of the conspiracy was for the conspirators to enrich themselves by selling passwords and unauthorized access to private and password-protected information, images, and videos on the Internet and by selling private and password-protected information, images, and videos that the conspirators obtained from the Internet.
The conspirators developed, marketed, and sold a software application called Photofucket, which allowed viewers to circumvent the privacy settings of the image and video hosting website at Photobucket.com and to access and copy users' private and password-protected information, images, and videos without authorization.
“It is not safe to hide behind your computer, breach corporate servers, and line your own pockets by victimizing those who have a right to protected privacy on the internet,” said U.S. Attorney John Walsh.
Bourret and Andrianakis both face one count of conspiracy, which carries a penalty of not more than five years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine. They each face one count of computer fraud, aid and abet, which also carries a penalty of not more than five years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine. Finally, they each face two counts of access device fraud, which carries a penalty of not more than ten years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine, per count.
The investigation regarding the breach and which albums were accessed is ongoing. For those who want to follow the status of this case, visit http://www.justice.gov/largecases and then select “Photobucket.”
Key Facts
- State: Colorado
- Category: Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →