Peter Yuryevich Levashov, Spam Distribution, California 2017

St. Petersburg, Russia native Peter Yuryevich Levashov, also known as ‘Petr Levashov,’ ‘Peter Severa,’ ‘Petr Severa’ and ‘Sergey Astakhov,’ pleaded guilty to running the Kelihos botnet, a network of infected computers used to facilitate malicious activities.

Levashov, 38, used the botnet to distribute thousands of spam e-mails, harvest login credentials, and install malicious software on computers worldwide. He also participated in online forums where stolen identities, credit card information, and cybercrime tools were traded and sold.

According to court documents, a botnet is a network of computers infected with malicious software that allows a third party to control the entire computer network without the knowledge or consent of the computer owners.

Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski stated, ‘For over two decades, Peter Levashov operated botnets which enabled him to harvest personal information from infected computers, disseminate spam, and distribute malware used to facilitate multiple scams.’

U.S. Attorney John H. Durham added, ‘Mr. Levashov used the Kelihos botnet to distribute thousands of spam e-mails, harvest login credentials, and install malicious software on computers around the world.’ He also noted that Levashov lived comfortably while disrupted the lives of thousands of computer users.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Brian C. Turner said, ‘Today justice has finally arrived for Peter Levashov, who is perhaps better known in the cyber community by his online identity, Peter Severa.’

Levashov’s operation of the Kelihos botnet spanned from the late 1990s until his arrest in April 2017. He controlled and operated multiple botnets, including the Storm, Waledac, and Kelihos, to harvest personal information and means of identification from infected computers.

Levashov’s guilty plea marks a significant achievement in the fight against cybercrime. The FBI’s New Haven Division, along with international law enforcement partners, worked tirelessly to bring Levashov to justice.

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