A Michigan resident, Andrew Shenkosky, found himself at the center of a trial after being indicted on fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. The 29-year-old was accused of purchasing nearly 2,500 stolen accounts on an underground trading platform in the darknet and using them for fraudulent financial transactions.
Prosecutors revealed that Shenkosky, from February to November 2020, engaged in a deceptive scheme while in Minnesota. He allegedly accessed stolen information through Genesis Market, an online marketplace that offered data stolen from infected devices worldwide.
To access Genesis Market, Shenkosky reportedly used a cryptocurrency account on Coinbase created in the name of one of the victims. He then bought 2,468 entries containing logins and passwords, using some to transfer money from victims’ bank accounts to his PayPal. He also attempted to sell some of the stolen information on the cybercrime forum Raid Forums, which has since been shut down.
In January 2025, Shenkosky was charged with three counts of fraud, one count of theft of personal data, and illegal storage and sale of access to others’ accounts. He appeared before a federal court in the eastern district of Michigan on February 11, with a main hearing scheduled for the end of February in Minnesota.
The FBI’s cybercrime units, along with the Detroit and Minneapolis branches, conducted the investigation into the case. Prosecutors Benjamin Behar and Robert Lewis are supporting the prosecution in court.