SEATTLE, WA – Roman Valerevich Seleznev, 32, of Vladivostok, Russia, known online as “Track2,” was convicted today of a staggering 38 counts related to a decade-long scheme to pilfer and sell credit card data. The verdict follows a relentless ten-year investigation by the U.S. Secret Service, stretching across continents to finally bring the alleged mastermind to justice. The jury reached its decision after a grueling eight-day trial and six hours of deliberation.
The scale of Seleznev’s operation is immense. Prosecutors presented evidence showing he stole and peddled information from over 2 million credit card numbers to a shadowy network of criminals. The Secret Service first flagged Seleznev’s activity back in 2005, identifying him as a key player in multiple organized online criminal groups. Between October 2009 and October 2013, he systematically breached point-of-sale systems at retailers, embedding malicious software designed to siphon off sensitive credit card data.
Seleznev didn’t just steal the data; he built the infrastructure to profit from it. He maintained a server in Russia to distribute the malware, then funneled the stolen information to servers located in the Ukraine and McLean, Virginia. This data was then packaged into “bases” and sold on underground “carding” websites, fueling fraudulent purchases worldwide. The impact was widespread, with testimony revealing that 3,700 financial institutions suffered losses exceeding $169 million as a direct result of the scheme.
The net finally closed on Seleznev in July 2014 when Secret Service agents apprehended him in the Maldives. A search of his laptop revealed a digital treasure trove: over 1.7 million stolen credit card numbers, along with irrefutable evidence linking him to the servers, email accounts, and financial transactions that underpinned his criminal enterprise. Prosecutors, in their closing arguments, urged the jury to “follow the digital fingerprints,” confident they would lead to “one of the most prolific credit card thieves in history.”
Seleznev now faces a potentially lengthy prison sentence. He was convicted of ten counts of wire fraud (punishable by up to thirty years in prison and a $1 million fine), eight counts of intentional damage to a protected computer (up to ten years and a $250,000 fine), nine counts of obtaining information from a protected computer (up to five years and a $250,000 fine), nine counts of possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices (up to ten years and a $250,000 fine), and two counts of aggravated identity theft (an additional two years on top of any other sentence). U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones has scheduled sentencing for December 2, 2016, and will consider sentencing guidelines, though they are not binding.
This conviction isn’t the end of the legal battles for Seleznev. He’s also been indicted in Nevada on RICO charges and conspiracy to engage in racketeering, alongside two counts of possessing counterfeit access devices. This stems from “Operation Open Market,” a Secret Service investigation out of Las Vegas that uncovered a network of 50 suspects tied to the notorious “Carder.su” criminal organization. Additional charges are pending in the Northern District of Georgia, further cementing the scope of Seleznev’s alleged criminal empire.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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