Security News > 2020 > January > Russian super-crook behind $20m internet fraud den Cardplanet and malware-exchange forum pleads guilty

A 29-year-old Russian scumbag has admitted masterminding the Cardplanet underworld marketplace as well as a second forum for elite fraudsters.

Aleksei Burkov appeared in a US federal district court in Virginia this week to plead guilty [PDF] to access device fraud, and conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, identity theft, wire and access device fraud, and money laundering.

"To obtain membership in Burkov's cybercrime forum, prospective members needed three existing members to 'vouch' for their good reputation among cybercriminals and to provide a sum of money, normally $5,000, as insurance," Uncle Sam's legal eagles said of the secret den on Thursday.

"These measures were designed to keep law enforcement from accessing Burkov's cybercrime forum and to ensure that members of the forum honored any deals made while conducting business on the forum."

Burkov faces a maximum of 15 years behind bars when he is sentenced on May 8, though courts typically hand down much lighter sentences when perps skip lengthy trials and go straight to pleading guilty.

News URL

https://go.theregister.co.uk/feed/www.theregister.co.uk/2020/01/24/cardplanet_admin_guilty/