Aleksei Shushliannikov Sentenced to Ransomware Laundering, Boston M…

BOSTON – Russian national Aleksei Shushliannikov has been handed a three-year prison sentence for his involvement in a sophisticated ransomware scheme that left countless victims vulnerable to cyber-extortion.

Shushliannikov, aged 23, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge Mark L. Wolf and also faces three years of supervised release following his incarceration. His illegal activities began in November 2014 when he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, using a fictitious name and address in connection with the U.S. mail, and identity fraud.

The scheme was a high-tech form of hostage-taking, where hackers infected victims’ computers with malware, holding them ransom for cash payments via MoneyPak cards. Shushliannikov’s role was to launder the proceeds by purchasing ransomed MoneyPak numbers from hackers like himself and his co-conspirator.

His modus operandi involved opening prepaid debit cards under stolen identities and using unsuspecting homeowners’ mailboxes as drop points for these cards. The funds were then cashed out, with Shushliannikov depositing the ransom in other people’s bank accounts before wiring the money to overseas accounts.

Shushliannikov was caught while removing mail from a New Hampshire mailbox. His GPS linked him to other drop points, and his apartment contained 246 prepaid debit cards, $26,000 in cash, and a money-counting machine, all of which have been forfeited. The duo had opened about 1,100 prepaid debit cards and were believed to have laundered or intended to launder between $400,000 and $1,000,000.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott L. Garland of the Anti-Terrorism and National Security Unit. United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, announced the sentence today.