Cardplanet mastermind pleads guilty to credit card fraud – Naked Security


Aleksai Burkov, a Russian cybercriminal responsible for over $20m in credit card fraud, pleaded guilty last week for access device fraud, identity theft, computer intrusion, wire fraud, and money laundering, after being indicted four years ago for operating a carding website called Cardplanet. This website, which ran from 2009 until 2013, served as a forum for cybercriminals to buy and sell credit card details stolen from victims. It facilitated the sale of over 150,000 cards that criminals then used in fraudulent transactions totalling at least $20m, according to the indictment.

Burkov, who lived in Tyumen and in St Petersburg, offered refunds on invalid card data, along with a card checking service that ensured a stolen card was still valid. He took payments through services including Liberty Reserve, which the US shut down in 2013.

He also ran another invitation-only website reserved for elite cybercriminals, according to the district attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Virginia, where the case against him was filed.