The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a civil forfeiture lawsuit against Russian citizen Rustam Galiamov, accusing him of developing the Qakbot malware and seizing over $24 million in cryptocurrency.
On May 22, the Department of Justice announced federal charges against 48-year-old Moscow resident Galiamov, stating he is the developer of the Qakbot malware. The actions in this case send a clear signal to combat cybercrime.
The head of the criminal division stated that the Department of Justice is committed to combating cybercrime and will use all legal means to hold criminals accountable.
Seizure of over $24 million
Federal prosecutors in the Central District of California stated that today's announced criminal charges and forfeiture cases are part of the ongoing effort to identify, combat, and hold accountable cybercriminals. The related actions not only involve cryptocurrency but also help compensate victims.
David, the head of the FBI's Los Angeles field office, pointed out that even though Qakbot was significantly weakened in 2023 by the department and its partners, Galiamov continues to seek new ways to promote his malware.
Qakbot used for global ransomware attacks
Galiamov has been operating the Qakbot malware since 2008, infecting thousands of computers through the software in 2019, establishing what is known as a botnet. Access to the botnet was sold to others for ransomware attacks. In 2023, an international operation led by the U.S. significantly disrupted the Qakbot network.
At that time, over 170 bitcoins and stablecoins USDT and USDC worth more than $4 million were seized. The indictment indicates that Galiamov and his associates continue to operate and have adopted new hacking techniques.
