U.S. authorities have arrested a Russian national who allegedly stole and sold credit card data from several U.S. retailers, according to the U.S. Secret Service.
The Secret Service announced in a press release that they arrested Roman Valerevich Seleznev on Saturday. Seleznev hacked into point of sale systems for U.S. retailers between October 2009 and February 2011 and then used servers and international carding forum websites to sell the stolen credit card data, according to the indictment:
"Secret Service agents utilize state-of-the-art investigative techniques to identify and pursue cyber criminals around the world. This scheme involved multiple network intrusions and data thefts for illicit financial gain. The adverse impact this individual and other transnational organized criminal groups have on our nation's financial infrastructure is significant and should not be underestimated," said Julia Pierson, Director of the U.S. Secret Service.
The charges in the indictment include five counts of bank fraud, eight counts of intentionally causing damage to a protected computer, eight counts of obtaining information from a protected computer, one count of possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices, two counts of trafficking unauthorized access devices, and five counts of aggravated identity theft. The case remains under investigation by the U.S. Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force in Seattle and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
Seleznev also faces charges of participating in a racketeer influenced corrupt organization (RICO) and two counts of possession of 15 or more counterfeit and unauthorized access devices. Those charges are outlined in a separate indictment in the District of Nevada.