Greetings forum members!
I would like to tell you the sad news.
Our friend and comrade AELS was detained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the German police.
Now he is under investigation and he needs your help.
Firstly, if you have worked with him or communicated, protect yourself, namely:
1. Do not reply to a message on his behalf, even if they write from his contacts.
2. Clear correspondence, change contacts if you worked closely.
Here's a slightly more detailed story:
On Tuesday afternoon (July 18), Aels was detained by German police and feds at his home in Berlin.
Information about the detention was personally reported to me by his partner, at his own request.
On the same day, I informed the exploit/xss forum administration about the situation, provided evidence and asked to block his accounts, and also warned his spam students and people with whom he was test-communicating to keep them safe.
He appeared on the network in the evening, or rather, it was no longer him, most likely then all the dialogues were exported.
After the arrest, I constantly kept in touch with his girlfriend, gave recommendations on finding him in Berlin.
At first, nothing was known about his fate, neither to him nor to his relatives (including his whereabouts and what happened to him until Thursday evening).
On Thursday (July 20), we contacted his interim lawyer and received introductory information.
It is not yet clear what consequences he faces and what information he could have provided under pressure or manipulation.
However, it is known for sure that when he was arrested, he had about $ 30 in his pocket.
A little more about this. I would not say that Andrei Tarasov lived one day at a time.
It's just that everyone who communicated with him will confirm that he was a kind-hearted person. He gave away all the money he earned, helped his friends and partners. He was a generous and humble man who never refused to help.
On Friday (July 21), we managed to contact a competent lawyer and find out the action plan to reduce the period and prevent errors.
I also received a recommendation which lawyer to contact, the choice fell on Arkady Bukh (use Google).
He is one of the best Russian-speaking specialists in the world.
Information (appeal) from the lawyer - https://cloud.mail.ru/public/cA91/hDKGkMT1E
After talking with the lawyer, we decided to extradite him and try him in the United States, since this is the most reasonable way out of the situation, the lawyer also said that to conduct the case, and other expenses, you will need an amount of about 150-200 thousand dollars (video in the attachment).
Aels doesn't have that kind of money.
We ask for the help of all caring people whom Andrei helped in one way or another.
Every $10 is already a significant support and an opportunity to reduce the time spent in prison.
I will also add that I am the original source!
Heated discussions of this whole situation have now begun on the forums, people are beginning to invent what and how happened, but there is no need to do this.
Periodically, as information becomes available, I will publish news on the case here so that you are informed.
Props by which you can help Andrey Tarasov, also known as Aels, Crazy Mark, Bad Advertiser..
---
On August 12, 2024, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey released an indictment accusing Russian citizen Andrey Tarasov of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit computer fraud, and two counts of wire fraud on the merits.
Tarasov is accused of cybercrimes related to a scheme to transfer the Angler exploit kit, other malware, and online fraud to the computers of millions of unsuspecting internet users victims through online advertising — so-called "malvertising" — and other means from October 2013 to March 2022. Malvertising campaigns were designed to appear legitimate but often redirected victim internet users who viewed or accessed the ads to malicious sites and servers that tried to trick users or delivered malware to users' devices. The Angler exploit kit has been the leading means of delivering malware to compromised electronic devices.
Tarasov and his co-conspirators also allegedly ensured the delivery of "scareware" advertisements that showed false messages claiming to have identified a virus or other problem with the victim's internet user's device. The messages then attempted to trick the victim into buying or downloading dangerous software, providing remote access to the device, or revealing personal identification or financial information.
Tarasov and his co-conspirators used a variety of strategies to profit from their widespread hacking and electronic fraud scheme, including using accounts on predominantly Russian cybercrime forums to sell cybercriminals access to compromised devices of victim internet users (so-called "downloads" or "bots"), as well as information stolen from victims and recorded in "logs" such as bank records login information and credentials to enable further attempts to trick victim internet users or deliver additional malware to their devices.
The prosecution is being conducted by the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Division of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Jersey.
Source
I would like to tell you the sad news.
Our friend and comrade AELS was detained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the German police.
Now he is under investigation and he needs your help.
Firstly, if you have worked with him or communicated, protect yourself, namely:
1. Do not reply to a message on his behalf, even if they write from his contacts.
2. Clear correspondence, change contacts if you worked closely.
Here's a slightly more detailed story:
On Tuesday afternoon (July 18), Aels was detained by German police and feds at his home in Berlin.
Information about the detention was personally reported to me by his partner, at his own request.
On the same day, I informed the exploit/xss forum administration about the situation, provided evidence and asked to block his accounts, and also warned his spam students and people with whom he was test-communicating to keep them safe.
He appeared on the network in the evening, or rather, it was no longer him, most likely then all the dialogues were exported.
After the arrest, I constantly kept in touch with his girlfriend, gave recommendations on finding him in Berlin.
At first, nothing was known about his fate, neither to him nor to his relatives (including his whereabouts and what happened to him until Thursday evening).
On Thursday (July 20), we contacted his interim lawyer and received introductory information.
It is not yet clear what consequences he faces and what information he could have provided under pressure or manipulation.
However, it is known for sure that when he was arrested, he had about $ 30 in his pocket.
A little more about this. I would not say that Andrei Tarasov lived one day at a time.
It's just that everyone who communicated with him will confirm that he was a kind-hearted person. He gave away all the money he earned, helped his friends and partners. He was a generous and humble man who never refused to help.
On Friday (July 21), we managed to contact a competent lawyer and find out the action plan to reduce the period and prevent errors.
I also received a recommendation which lawyer to contact, the choice fell on Arkady Bukh (use Google).
He is one of the best Russian-speaking specialists in the world.
Information (appeal) from the lawyer - https://cloud.mail.ru/public/cA91/hDKGkMT1E
After talking with the lawyer, we decided to extradite him and try him in the United States, since this is the most reasonable way out of the situation, the lawyer also said that to conduct the case, and other expenses, you will need an amount of about 150-200 thousand dollars (video in the attachment).
Aels doesn't have that kind of money.
We ask for the help of all caring people whom Andrei helped in one way or another.
Every $10 is already a significant support and an opportunity to reduce the time spent in prison.
I will also add that I am the original source!
Heated discussions of this whole situation have now begun on the forums, people are beginning to invent what and how happened, but there is no need to do this.
Periodically, as information becomes available, I will publish news on the case here so that you are informed.
Props by which you can help Andrey Tarasov, also known as Aels, Crazy Mark, Bad Advertiser..
---
On August 12, 2024, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey released an indictment accusing Russian citizen Andrey Tarasov of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit computer fraud, and two counts of wire fraud on the merits.
Tarasov is accused of cybercrimes related to a scheme to transfer the Angler exploit kit, other malware, and online fraud to the computers of millions of unsuspecting internet users victims through online advertising — so-called "malvertising" — and other means from October 2013 to March 2022. Malvertising campaigns were designed to appear legitimate but often redirected victim internet users who viewed or accessed the ads to malicious sites and servers that tried to trick users or delivered malware to users' devices. The Angler exploit kit has been the leading means of delivering malware to compromised electronic devices.
Tarasov and his co-conspirators also allegedly ensured the delivery of "scareware" advertisements that showed false messages claiming to have identified a virus or other problem with the victim's internet user's device. The messages then attempted to trick the victim into buying or downloading dangerous software, providing remote access to the device, or revealing personal identification or financial information.
Tarasov and his co-conspirators used a variety of strategies to profit from their widespread hacking and electronic fraud scheme, including using accounts on predominantly Russian cybercrime forums to sell cybercriminals access to compromised devices of victim internet users (so-called "downloads" or "bots"), as well as information stolen from victims and recorded in "logs" such as bank records login information and credentials to enable further attempts to trick victim internet users or deliver additional malware to their devices.
The prosecution is being conducted by the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Division of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Jersey.
Source
