Ukrainian hacker ‘DJ Rich’ who stole millions arrested after 10-year hunt
- Vyacheslav Igorevich Penchukov, aka DJ Slava Rich, was found in Geneva last month; he had been indicted in the US in 2012 but had evaded capture for a decade
- Penchukov is accused of leading a gang that stole millions of dollars by breaking into online bank accounts; he enjoyed driving BMWs and Porsches around Donetsk
A Ukrainian hacker sought by US authorities for a decade was arrested last month in Switzerland, the specialist website Krebs on Security reported on Friday.
Vyacheslav Igorevich Penchukov, 40, was arrested in the Swiss canton of Geneva on October 23 while visiting his wife, the site reported.
Swiss authorities confirmed to the news website Watson the arrest of a Ukrainian national sought by US authorities who is refusing extradition, but did not identify the suspect by name.
The Swiss Federal Office of Justice “decided on November 15, 2022 to authorise his extradition to the United States”, spokesman Raphael Frei told the website.
US authorities accuse Penchukov of leading a gang of hackers that stole millions of dollars by breaking into online bank accounts.
According to the indictment, the gang members used the Zeus malware to gain bank account numbers and passwords necessary to get access.