In a groundbreaking interview, Vyacheslav Penchukov, one of the world’s most wanted cyber-criminals, has shared unprecedented insights into the operations of hacking gangs that caused widespread financial damage. Speaking from a Colorado prison, he detailed his journey from small-time hacker to kingpin of international cyber-crime networks.
Penchukov, a 39-year-old Ukrainian, climbed to the top of the cyber-crime world not through technical expertise but with charisma and connections. He led the Jabber Zeus crew in the late 2000s, using revolutionary malware to directly drain bank accounts of small businesses, charities, and local authorities. In the UK alone, over 600 victims lost more than £4 million in just three months, with one family-run business in New Mexico seeing $12,000 vanish in a single swipe.
After evading capture for years, Penchukov shifted to ransomware operations between 2018 and 2022, targeting larger corporations and even healthcare facilities. He became a top affiliate for groups like Maze, Egregor, and Conti, earning up to $200,000 monthly. His gang’s attack on the University of Vermont Medical Center in 2020 disabled 5,000 computers, risking patient safety and causing over $30 million in losses, though Penchukov denies direct involvement.
His criminal career began in Donetsk, Ukraine, where he fell into hacking through video game cheat forums. He quickly amassed wealth, buying luxury cars and living lavishly, while his crews worked out of offices by day and he performed as DJ Slava Rich by night. The FBI’s Operation Trident Breach nearly caught him in 2010, but he escaped thanks to a tip-off and a high-speed car chase.
Penchukov was finally arrested in 2022 in a dramatic Swiss operation that involved snipers and a bag over his head, an event he recalls with bitterness. Now serving two concurrent nine-year sentences and ordered to pay $54 million in restitution, he expresses little remorse for his victims, focusing instead on his prison activities like learning languages and earning diplomas.
The interview sheds light on the collaboration between cyber-criminals and state actors, with Penchukov acknowledging that some ransomware gangs had handlers in Russian security services like the FSB. He also discussed his former associate Maksim Yakubets, sanctioned by the US and accused of leading Evil Corp, noting how the community ostracized him after sanctions were imposed.
Victims of Penchukov’s crimes, such as the owners of Lieber’s Luggage, recall the shock and devastation of losing their savings, with no recourse from banks at the time. Despite the financial and emotional toll, Penchukov admits he rarely considered the human impact, viewing the theft as victimless due to insurance coverage, a perspective starkly contrasted by the real-world consequences.
Penchukov’s story highlights the evolving nature of cyber-crime, from simple bank fraud to sophisticated ransomware attacks that cripple critical infrastructure. His capture serves as a warning, but with key figures like Yakubets still at large and a $5 million bounty on his head, the fight against international cyber-gangs remains ongoing. The interview underscores the need for enhanced global cooperation and security measures to combat these threats.
