Russian Citizen Will Serve 30 Months Behind Bars for Running Dark Web Marketplace for Stolen Personal Data

Russian citizen Kirill Victorovich Firsov will serve 30 months in prison for administrating an underground website that fueled the cybercriminal community for nearly seven years.

According to a press release, the defunct platform DEER.IO hosted around 3,000 shops that sold stolen credit card information, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, and services.

The DOJ claimed this illegal operation drove profits exceeding $17 million since October 2013, with a turnover of at least $1.2 million from victims in the US.

The US Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of California said the accused was aware that his platform was peddling stolen and counterfeit accounts, including several icons for US-based companies.

“Anyone setting up a store on DEER.IO could click on to then sell stolen accounts from those U.S. companies,” the DOJ said. “Also, DEER.IO was easily searchable, so anyone –including Firsov– could search the platform for stolen U.S. accounts and information.”

On top of stolen gamer accounts sold on the platform, addresses, telephone numbers and other personally identifiable information of American citizens were available for purchase. FBI field agents arrested Firsov in New York after flying in from Moscow on March 7, 2020.

Prior to his arrest, the FBI purchased 1,100 gamer accounts and personal information on more than 3,600 Americans from his platform.

“This platform provided cybercriminals with easy access to the personal accounts and information of people around the world, including Americans,” said Acting US Attorney Randy Grossman. “Stopping that flow of stolen information to criminals is critical to addressing the cybercrime threats facing our country, and we will prosecute those who are responsible.”

The FBI encourages companies and individuals to contact local authorities whenever they suspect or learn they’re victims of cybercrime by notifying field offices or submitting a complaint via the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).