Jailed cybercriminals returned to Russia in historic prisoner swap | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"The U.S. government has released at least two Russian nationals behind some of the most notorious cybercrimes of the past decade. \"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/jailed-cybercriminals-returned-to-russia-in-historic-prisoner-swap\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Jailed cybercriminals returned to Russia in historic prisoner swap \"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The U.S. government has released at least two Russian nationals behind some of the most notorious cybercrimes of the past decade. \"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/jailed-cybercriminals-returned-to-russia-in-historic-prisoner-swap\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-08-01T16:22:31+00:00\"> <meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-08-01T20:20:16+00:00\"> <meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/jailed-cybercriminals-returned-to-russia-in-historic-prisoner-swap-1.jpg\"> <meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"620\"> <meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"375\"> <meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\"> <meta name=\"author\" content=\"AJ Vicens\"> <meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\"> <meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@AJVicens\">  <link rel=\"dns-prefetch\" href=\"\/\/securepubads.g.doubleclick.net\">\n<link rel=\"dns-prefetch\" href=\"\/\/use.typekit.net\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" type=\"application\/rss+xml\" title=\"CyberScoop \u00bb Feed\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/feed\/\">\n<link rel=\"alternate\" type=\"application\/rss+xml\" title=\"CyberScoop \u00bb Comments 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class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--event js-stickybar\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__details\" readability=\"4.952380952381\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__info js-sticky-bar-content\" readability=\"32\">\n<p>Voting is open for the 2024 CyberScoop 50 awards! <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <a class=\"stickybar__link button button-tertiary\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cyberscoop50\/vote\/\">Click here!<\/a> <\/div>\n<p> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"24.159305993691\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"30.237154150198\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/news\/threats\/cybercrime\/\"> <span>Cybercrime<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> The U.S. government has released at least two Russian nationals behind some of the most notorious cybercrimes of the past decade. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"620\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/jailed-cybercriminals-returned-to-russia-in-historic-prisoner-swap.jpg?resize=620%2C375&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/jailed-cybercriminals-returned-to-russia-in-historic-prisoner-swap-1.jpg 620w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/jailed-cybercriminals-returned-to-russia-in-historic-prisoner-swap-1.jpg?resize=300,181 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/jailed-cybercriminals-returned-to-russia-in-historic-prisoner-swap-1.jpg?resize=600,363 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/jailed-cybercriminals-returned-to-russia-in-historic-prisoner-swap-1.jpg?resize=278,168 278w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/jailed-cybercriminals-returned-to-russia-in-historic-prisoner-swap-1.jpg?resize=557,337 557w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\"><figcaption> Roman Seleznev, in a picture taken from his phone (Source: DoJ) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"29.07\"><body readability=\"58.96906779661\"><\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2024-08-01\/us-reporter-to-be-freed-by-russia-in-major-prisoner-swap\">blockbuster prisoner exchange<\/a> between the United States, Russia and Germany on Thursday included at least two prominent cybercriminals held by the U.S. on charges of financially motivated cybercrime and hacking to facilitate insider trading. <\/p>\n<p>The prisoners were part of a deal that freed 16 people from Russia, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.<\/p>\n<p>A White House spokesperson confirmed that as part of the deal, the U.S. released convicted Russian cybercriminals Roman Seleznev and Vladislav Klyushin.<\/p>\n<p>Seleznev is a notorious Russian hacker known for running extensive cybercrime operations. He was involved in numerous cyberattacks, including credit card fraud, theft, and selling stolen credit card information on \u201cCarder.su,\u201d a cybercriminal forum ring. Seleznev conducted his criminal activities under the alias \u201cTrack2\u201d and \u201cnCux.\u201d He is the son of Valery Seleznev, a prominent member of the Russian Duma, the country\u2019s parliament.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Seleznev was <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/prolific-russian-credit-card-hacker-gets-27-years\/'\">sentenced in 2017 to 27 years in prison<\/a> for his involvement in a massive credit-card computer fraud scheme. <\/p>\n<p>Klyushin was extradited to the U.S. for his involvement in an elaborate hack-to-trade scheme that netted approximately $93 million through securities trades based on confidential corporate information stolen from U.S. computer networks. With insider knowledge of companies\u2019 financial performance, Klyushin and his co-conspirators predicted stock price movements and traded on stolen information. They used accounts in multiple countries, including Cyprus, Denmark, Portugal, Russia, and the U.S., misleading brokerage firms about their activities.<\/p>\n<p>Klyushin <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/russian-cybersecurity-expert-convicted-of-charges-in-90m-hack-to-trade-case\/\">was convicted in February 2023<\/a> and in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-ma\/pr\/russian-businessman-sentenced-nine-years-prison-93-million-hack-trade-conspiracy\">September 2023 sentenced to nine years<\/a> in prison. <\/p>\n<p>Maksim Nemtsev, Klyushin\u2019s attorney, confirmed to CyberScoop that the swap, including Klyushin, was complete. \u201cI expect he will be home with his wife and children shortly,\u201d Nemtsev said in an email.<\/p>\n<p>The two were released as part of a large-scale prisoner exchange that experts are saying is the biggest swap since the end of the Cold War. <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>President Joe Biden <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/POTUS\/status\/1819035443930800616\">called the deal<\/a> \u201ca feat of diplomacy,\u201d and said it came about as a result of \u201ccomplex negotiations\u201d that included the U.S., Russia, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Turkey.<\/p>\n<p> <\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"0.57303370786517\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by AJ Vicens and Greg Otto<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span 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|<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[282,302,2431,270,2432],"tags":[286,306,2433,276,2434],"class_list":["post-4670","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cybercrime","category-geopolitics","category-roman-seleznev","category-russia","category-vladislav-klyushin","tag-cybercrime","tag-geopolitics","tag-roman-seleznev","tag-russia","tag-vladislav-klyushin"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":"","chromenews-featured":"","chromenews-large":"","chromenews-medium":""},"author_info":{"display_name":"Cyber Scoop","author_link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/author\/cyberscoop\/"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/cybercrime\/\" rel=\"category tag\">cybercrime<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/geopolitics\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Geopolitics<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/roman-seleznev\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Roman Seleznev<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/russia\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Russia<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/vladislav-klyushin\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Vladislav Klyushin<\/a>","tag_info":"Vladislav 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{"id":4670,"date":"2024-08-01T11:22:31","date_gmt":"2024-08-01T16:22:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=81264"},"modified":"2024-08-01T11:22:31","modified_gmt":"2024-08-01T16:22:31","slug":"jailed-cybercriminals-returned-to-russia-in-historic-prisoner-swap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2024\/08\/01\/jailed-cybercriminals-returned-to-russia-in-historic-prisoner-swap\/","title":{"rendered":"Jailed cybercriminals returned to Russia in historic prisoner swap\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"