One of the detainees faces up to 36 years in prison. What exactly is he accused of?
As a result of a joint operation of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which began back in 2020, two people were arrested suspected of developing and distributing the malicious software "Firebird", later renamed "Hive".
The Firebird program was initially promoted as a legal tool for remote administration, offering the possibility of hidden access and password recovery from various browsers. These features allowed users who paid for the tool to remotely access victims ' computers and perform unauthorized activities.
One of the detainees, a resident of Australia, whose name was not disclosed, was charged with twelve counts, including the production and distribution of information intended for the commission of computer crimes. The maximum sentence can be 36 years in prison, while his trial will take place on May 7 this year in Sydney.
The second defendant, Edmond Chakhmakhchyan, who lives in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles, is known on the Internet under the pseudonym "Corruption". According to the US Department of Justice, Chakhmakhchyan was actively engaged in marketing "Hive", servicing bitcoin transactions and supporting buyers. The prosecution alleges that he sold a license to use the Remote Access Trojan (RAT) to an undercover FBI agent.
Despite the fact that the buyer clearly indicated to the seller that his goal was to steal bitcoins worth $ 20 thousand and documents worth $ 5 thousand, confirming his intentions to use the tool for illegal activities, Chakhmakhchyan sold him the malware without any questions or objections.
The American side also accuses the detainee of several counts at once, including advertising interception devices, transmitting software code that compromises protected computers, and deliberately unauthorized access to data.
Chakhmakhchyan pleads not guilty, but the maximum sentence he can receive is ten years in prison. The final verdict will be handed down on June 4 this year.
As a result of a joint operation of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which began back in 2020, two people were arrested suspected of developing and distributing the malicious software "Firebird", later renamed "Hive".
The Firebird program was initially promoted as a legal tool for remote administration, offering the possibility of hidden access and password recovery from various browsers. These features allowed users who paid for the tool to remotely access victims ' computers and perform unauthorized activities.
One of the detainees, a resident of Australia, whose name was not disclosed, was charged with twelve counts, including the production and distribution of information intended for the commission of computer crimes. The maximum sentence can be 36 years in prison, while his trial will take place on May 7 this year in Sydney.
The second defendant, Edmond Chakhmakhchyan, who lives in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles, is known on the Internet under the pseudonym "Corruption". According to the US Department of Justice, Chakhmakhchyan was actively engaged in marketing "Hive", servicing bitcoin transactions and supporting buyers. The prosecution alleges that he sold a license to use the Remote Access Trojan (RAT) to an undercover FBI agent.
Despite the fact that the buyer clearly indicated to the seller that his goal was to steal bitcoins worth $ 20 thousand and documents worth $ 5 thousand, confirming his intentions to use the tool for illegal activities, Chakhmakhchyan sold him the malware without any questions or objections.
The American side also accuses the detainee of several counts at once, including advertising interception devices, transmitting software code that compromises protected computers, and deliberately unauthorized access to data.
Chakhmakhchyan pleads not guilty, but the maximum sentence he can receive is ten years in prison. The final verdict will be handed down on June 4 this year.
