Category Archives: Direct Connection

Admitted Russian scammer Aleksei Burkov sentenced to 9 years by US court

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A U.S. judge has sentenced an admitted Russian scammer to nine years in prison, marking the likely end of a years-long legal saga that has involved secretive cybercriminal forums, high-level political negotiations and a proposed prisoner swap. Aleksei Burkov, 30, appeared in federal court in Alexandria, Va., to hear his sentence. The normally clean-cut Burkov appeared unshaven and with longer hair and wearing a mask as he spoke to the court through a translator. “I repent for my actions and regret my behavior in the past,” he said in a low voice. “In my childhood I met some hackers and I chose the wrong path. Only in jail did I realize how much of a wrong path my life took.” The 108-month sentence will incorporate time already served, meaning Burkov likely will spend another four and a half years in prison before he is released. The Russian man pleaded guilty in January to […]

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Accused scammer Burkov to plead guilty to ‘some’ charges after extradition dispute

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A Russian man who has spent months at the center of an international political dispute is slated to plead guilty to hacking-related charges this week in Virginia. Aleksei Burkov faces criminal counts including access device fraud and conspiracy to commit identity theft in connection with allegedly operating two cybercriminal forums where visitors bought and sold stolen information worth $20 million. The 29-year-old initially pleaded not guilty during his first appearance in the Eastern District Court of Virginia, though a change-of-plea hearing now is scheduled for Jan. 23. “He will be pleading [guilty] to some, but not all of the original charges,” said Gregory Stambuagh, Burkov’s defense attorney. He declined further comment. Burkov was arrested in Israel in 2015, then extradited to the U.S. in November 2019 after exhausting his appeals. The  St. Petersburg native operated two hacking forums, Cardplanet.cc and Direct Connection, according to court documents filed last week. Through Cardplanet, Burkov […]

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