US Charges Russian Web Hosts in $62M Cybercrime Scheme

The United States unsealed an indictment this week charging three Russian nationals and two Russian web hosting companies with facilitating cybercrime that defrauded victims of $62 million. The indictment, filed in 2024, alleges that these entities provided "bulletproof" web hosting services, which are designed to resist takedowns by law enforcement, to cybercriminals. These services enabled the perpetrators to carry out various illicit online activities, including ransomware attacks and business email compromise schemes.

The accused web hosting providers, identified as King Servers LLC and United Cloud LLC, are alleged to have knowingly housed malicious infrastructure and assisted cybercriminals in evading detection. The indictment details how these services were crucial for the operation of sophisticated cybercriminal enterprises. The scheme involved multiple types of cyberattacks, with the proceeds being laundered through various channels. The Department of Justice stated that this action disrupts a significant part of the cybercrime ecosystem by targeting the infrastructure that supports it.

This action is part of a broader effort by the U.S. government to combat transnational cybercrime. The indictment outlines specific instances where the web hosting services were used to host phishing websites, command-and-control servers for malware, and other tools used in cyberattacks. The investigation involved collaboration between multiple U.S. law enforcement agencies and international partners. The unsealing of the indictment aims to deter others from providing similar services to malicious actors and to bring those responsible to justice. The total amount of money stolen from victims across various schemes is reported to be $62 million.