A 21-year-old resident of Moscow has been indicted by the Sverdlovsk prosecutor’s office for illegally mining cryptocurrencies on computers in four game clubs in Yekaterinburg. The man has been charged with creating, using, and distributing malicious programs, as well as unlawfully accessing computer information.
An investigation into the matter revealed that the accused arrived in Yekaterinburg in May 2021 and began to frequent various gaming clubs in the area. While visiting these computer clubs, he would access a pre-prepared link in the browser, which would download malicious programs onto the personal computer in question. These programs would then remove information and neutralize any protective equipment. Following this, cryptocurrency mining programs were installed on the affected computers, allowing the attackers to profit from mining.
In October of 2021, the accused enlisted the help of a citizen of Kyrgyzstan to continue his criminal activities. As a result, computers in computer clubs across the area began to function improperly, providing the criminals with an opportunity to make even greater profits.
The accused has pleaded guilty to all charges and faces up to five years in prison. The criminal case has been sent to the Leninsky District Court of Yekaterinburg.