Michael J. Radcliffe II, Computer Hacking, New York 2021

ALBANY, NEW YORK – In a disturbing tale of cybercrime, 28-year-old Michael J. Radcliffe II, a/k/a ‘Mystical,’ of Elka Park, New York, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit computer fraud, a misdemeanor.

The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antionette T. Bacon and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). In pleading guilty, Radcliffe admitted that he used Internet-connected computers to create and maintain botnets for the purpose of engaging in Distributed Denial of Service (‘DDOS’) attacks.

Radcliffe also admitted that from 2012 through October 2, 2018, he conspired with others to use botnets to carry out DDOS attacks. A ‘botnet’ is a network of computers that have been infected with malicious software, allowing the infected computers to be used by the operator to perform repetitive functions, similar to a robot.

A DDOS attack involves using a large network of computers, usually a botnet, to bombard an Internet-connected computer with repeated requests for information, to disable the computer by overloading it with too much information simultaneously.

Radicliffe faces up to a year in prison when United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino sentences him on January 21, 2021. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.

Radicliffe’s guilty plea is a significant victory for law enforcement and a reminder of the consequences of engaging in cybercrime. As Acting United States Attorney Antionette T. Bacon stated, ‘This case demonstrates our commitment to holding individuals accountable for their actions in the cyber realm.’

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