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FBI MOST WANTED: Russian hacker who loves boats and banking malware

FBI wanted poster

Key figures alleged to be behind Gameover Zeus and Cryptolocker is added to FBI wanted list

Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev, a Russian hacker believed to be behind the Gameover Zeus banking trojan, has been placed on the FBI’s most wanted list. Bogachev, also known as ‘lucky12345’, ‘slavik’ and ‘Pollingsoon’, is wanted for involvement in a multi-million pound hacking ring.

He is wanted for his alleged role developing and distributing the Zeus banking trojan, which has infected as many as one million computers worldwide. To date, the Gameover Zeus virus has stolen hundreds of millions of dollars.

The FBI said Bogachev was approximately 5ft 9in, 180 pounds and had brown eyes and brown, usually shaven, hair.

“Bogachev was last known to reside in Anapa, Russia. He is known to enjoy boating and may travel to locations along the Black Sea in his boat. He also owns property in Krasnodar, Russia,” the wanted poster explains.

FBI wanted poster

The thirty year old is described as “working in the information technology field” and has been indicted on numerous charges of conspiracy, fraud and computer abuse in the US.

The FBI explained that Bogachev “knowingly acted” as an administrator for the multi-million dollar scam. He helped to distribute spam and phishing emails that contained links to malicious websites. People who visted these sites were infected with malware, allowing Bogachev and others to steal money from their bank accounts.

Zeus is capable of stealing bank account numbers, passwords, identification numbers and other information to log into bank accounts and steal money.

Bogachev “knowingly acted in a role as administrator” in the scheme, which sent our spam and phishing emails to infect people’s computers. The FBI, NCA and Europol have been investigating Zeus since 2009, with a modified of the virus, Gameover Zeus, first being spotted in September 2011.

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