Vyacheslav Igorevich Penchukov, a prominent member of the infamous JabberZeus cybercrime gang, has admitted guilt to charges connected to his involvement in the Zeus and IcedID malware organizations.
Penchukov, also known as “tank” and “father,” was extradited to the United States in 2023 after being detained in Switzerland in October 2022 while visiting his wife in Geneva.
He was first accused by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2012 of participating in the Zeus malware operation and stealing millions of dollars from infected devices using credentials, personal identification numbers, and other sensitive information.
Penchukov was reportedly a key member of the Maze and Egregor ransomware operations, according to numerous sources, BleepingComputer. The first ransomware gang involved in double-extortion attacks using stolen data as leverage to exert pressure on victims was Maze.
To avoid detection, Maze ransomware was later rebranded as Egregor and Sekhmet. Despite this, Ukrainian police detained Penchukov in January 2021 as part of a global effort to track down the Egregor ransomware gang.
However, according to investigative journalist Brian Krebs, he avoided prosecution by using his connections in politics, including Viktor Yanukovych’s late son.
After being added to the FBI’s Cyber Most Wanted List between November 2018 and February 2021, Penchukov served as a leader of the IcedID ( also known as Bokbot ) malware operation.
He and his fellow conspirators used the malware to access compromised systems and spread additional malicious payloads like ransomware while also stealing the victims ‘ private information, such as banking account credentials.
Two infamous malware organizations led by Vyacheslav Igorevich Penchukov infected thousands of computers with malicious software. According to Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, these criminal organizations stole millions of dollars from their victims and even used ransomware to attack a significant hospital, preventing it from treating patients critically for more than two weeks.
The defendant was a wanted felon on the FBI’s most wanted list for almost ten years prior to his arrest and extradition to the United States.
In accordance with the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations ( RICO ) Act, Penchukov admitted guilt to two counts: one for his leadership of the Zeus operation and the other for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Penchukov is scheduled to be sentenced on May 9 and could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.