Security News > 2022 > July > Suspected Gozi malware gang 'CIO' extradited to US on fraud, hacking charges

A man suspected of providing the IT infrastructure behind the Gozi banking trojan has been extradited to the US to face a string of computer fraud charges.

According to court documents [PDF], Paunescu allegedly ran a "Bulletproof hosting" service using computers in Romania, America, and other locations to help cybercriminals distribute Gozi and other malware including the Zeus Trojan and SpyEye Trojan.

The following year, he and two other European men, Nikita Kuzmin and Deniss Calovskis, were charged by US prosecutors with creating and distributing malware.

Security firm Sophos described Paunescu as the alleged CIO of the malware gang.

Paunescu allegedly rented the networking equipment for his hosting service from legitimate providers.

Paunescu, of Bucharest, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years; and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2022/07/20/alleged_gozi_malware_cio_extradited/