Reno, Nev. — Russian national Egor Igorevich Kriuchkov, 27, has been apprehended for his alleged role in a plot to introduce ransomware into a Nevada company’s computer network and extort the business for data.
According to federal prosecutors, Kriuchkov conspired with others to target an employee within the company. He intended to install malicious software to gain access to sensitive information and then demand a hefty ransom to prevent the data from being made public.
Kriuchkov was detained on August 22, 2020, in Los Angeles, and his initial appearance was held before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alexander F. MacKinnon. He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of the charge of conspiracy to intentionally cause damage to a protected computer.
The defendant, who entered the United States on a tourist visa, had promised the employee a $1 million reward for his part in the scheme. Kriuchkov is also accused of providing the employee with a burner phone and instructing him to keep it on airplane mode until the ransom was paid.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich emphasized the commitment to protecting American businesses from cyber threats, stating that the FBI’s intervention prevented any actual damage to occur in this case. Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the FBI’s dedication to pursuing those who seek to harm U.S. businesses.
The investigation leading to Kriuchkov’s arrest was a collaborative effort by various law enforcement agencies, including the FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Casper and Candina Heath of the Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section are handling the prosecution of this case.
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Key Facts
- State: Nevada
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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