US to prosecute Moscow card trader

Russian cyber offensive.

Ukraine and Israel national Vladislav Anatolievich Horohorin faced US prosecution over his role in a major stolen credit card trading website.

Horohorin was arrested in Nice, France on 7 August, shortly before the US issued its indictment, leaving him as the second eastern Russian-based cybercriminal in two weeks to face US authorities.

The 27 year old, who lived in Moscow and operated under the handle "BadB", was accused of being a founder of the CarderPlanet network, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).

"The network created by the founders of CarderPlanet, including Vladislav Horohorin, remains one of the most sophisticated organisations of online financial criminals in the world," US Secret Service assistant director for investigations Michael Merritt said in a statement.

Horohorin was alleged to have orchestrated the sale of stolen credit card information through the web forum, directing buyers to so-called "dumps" hosted outside the US.

Stolen funds were allegedly transferred via Russian currency service Webmoney.

Last week the US extradited Russian Sergei Tsurikov over a his alleged role in a $9 million heist which exploited a major payroll system, and which also used Webmoney to transfer stolen funds.

"Cyber criminals who target US citizens should not fool themselves into believing they can elude justice simply because they commit crimes outside of our borders," said Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer of the Criminal Division.