WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 (UPI) — The U.S. State Department is offering a $3 million reward for information leading to the arrest of accused Russian hacker Evgeniy Mikhailovich Bogachev.
Bogachev, allegedly known by the online handles “lucky12345″ and “slavik,” is accused of being involved in a scheme to install malware on more than one million computers resulting in the theft of more than $100 million from consumers and businesses in the United States.
The $3 million reward is the highest ever offered for a suspect in a cybercrime.
The FBI placed Bogachev on its Cyber’s Most Wanted list for his alleged involvement in the cyber racketeering enterprise. The agency believes he is at large in Russia.
“This reward offer reaffirms the commitment of the U.S. government to bring those who participate in organized crime to justice, whether they hide online or overseas,” {link:a news release from the state department said: “https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2015/02/237849.htm”,nw}.
The Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program, started in 2013 by Congress, is offering the reward for Bogachev’s arrest and/or conviction.