Peter Yuryevich Levashov, Botnet Operation, Connecticut 2023

Russian National Extradited for Botnet Operation

A Russian national, Peter Yuryevich Levashov, 37, also known as Petr Levashov, Peter Severa, Petr Severa and Sergey Astakhov, of St. Petersburg, Russia, has been extradited from Spain and arraigned in Connecticut on charges stemming from his alleged operation of the Kelihos botnet.

Levashov is accused of controlling and operating the Kelihos botnet, a global network of tens of thousands of infected computers, which he allegedly used to facilitate malicious activities including harvesting login credentials, distributing bulk spam e-mails, and installing ransomware and other malicious software.

According to the indictment, Levashov allegedly harvested personal information and means of identification from infected computers, including email addresses, usernames and logins, and passwords. He also allegedly disseminated spam and distributed other malware, such as banking Trojans and ransomware.

The indictment further alleges that during any 24-hour period, the Kelihos botnet was used to generate and distribute more than 2,500 unsolicited spam e-mails that advertised various criminal schemes, including deceptively promoting stocks in order to fraudulently increase their price.

Levashov is scheduled to be arraigned today at approximately 6:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Holly B. Fitzsimmons in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

“Levashov is alleged to have controlled and operated the Kelihos botnet which was used to distribute hundreds of millions of fraudulent e-mails per year, intercept credentials to online and financial accounts belonging to thousands of Americans, and spread ransomware throughout our networks,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan.

Levashov was detained since April 7, 2017, in Spain when he was arrested by Spanish authorities based upon a criminal complaint and arrest warrant issued in the District of Connecticut.

Criminal Charges: One count of causing intentional damage to a protected computer, one count of conspiracy, one count of accessing protected computers in furtherance of fraud, one count of wire fraud.

Outcome: Levashov will be arraigned today at approximately 6:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Holly B. Fitzsimmons in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/alleged-operator-kelihos-botnet-extradited-spain