Security News > 2023 > October > Admin behind E-Root stolen creds souk extradited to US

A Moldovan who allegedly ran the compromised-credential marketplace E-Root has been extradited from the UK to America to stand trial.

Sandu Diaconu, 31, along with another individual whose name has been redacted from court documents, allegedly operated the illicit souk selling access to compromised servers worldwide between 2015 and 2020.

"The Marketplace existed primarily as a place for individuals to buy and sell RDP and SSH access to compromised servers, which was used to facilitate a wide range of illegal activity, such as ransomware attacks, fraudulent wire transfers, and tax fraud," the indictment says [PDF].

During the course of the investigation, the Feds uncovered more than 350,000 compromised credentials listed for sale on E-Root, according to the US Justice Department.

In addition to developing and E-Root, Diaconu, whose admin moniker was "WinD3str0y," also allegedly operated a sister website where buyers could convert Bitcoin into Perfect Money to try and hide their identities.

In September 2023, Westminster Magistrates' Court ordered Diaconu to be extradited to America to face charges, after he consented to travel to the US and face his Feds.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2023/10/20/eroot_admin_extradited/