A Russian national had his first appearance in an Ohio court Thursday following his extradition from South Korea for his alleged role in a cybercriminal organization.
Vladimir Dunaev is accused of being part of a transnational group that deployed a suite of malware programs known as Trickbot. The malware employed trojans and ransomware to infect millions of computers worldwide, stealing login credentials and other personal information to allow the criminal group access to online bank and credit card accounts. The group then executed fund transfers and laundered the stolen money through a series of U.S. and foreign beneficiary accounts.
Dunaev is alleged to be a malware developer for the group, whose work included managing the malware’s execution, developing modifications, and helping conceal the malware from detection by antivirus software. He was extradited from South Korea on October 20 and is charged with a variety of crimes. His charges include conspiracy to commit computer fraud, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit money laundering, numerous counts of bank fraud, and wire fraud. If convicted, he could face up to 60 years in prison.
Dunaev is the second member of the Trickbot Group to be arrested by the Justice Department (DOJ). In June, Alla Witte, a Latvian national, was arraigned in federal court for her alleged role in the criminal enterprise. The arrests are part of the DOJ’s Ransomware and Digital Extortion Task Force, mandated to tackle ransomware groups that steal identities and threaten vital infrastructure. Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said that the recent arrests make it clear that DOJ “can and will capture cyber criminals around the world.”