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Russian Father and Son Face Fraud Charges in US

A Russian man and his son face various fraud charges after U.S. authorities unsealed a nine-count indictment dating from 2007 on Tuesday, according to federal prosecutors.

Vladimir Zdorovenin, 54, of Moscow, and his son Kirill are charged with conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, computer fraud, aggravated identity theft and securities fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.

Authorities allege the two men used malicious software to collect credit card numbers, identity information and financial account details of victims. They also bought stolen credit card numbers and purchased goods from their own Internet-based businesses, prosecutors allege.

They also stand accused of stealing online brokerage account details and then trading stocks in order to manipulate prices. The Zdorovenins then allegedly profited by either purchasing or selling those stocks through their own account, called Rim Investment Management Ltd.

The two ran the alleged scams from Russia. According to a news release, the FBI said the prosecution "should serve as a stark reminder to anyone who believes he can commit cybercrime and hide behind the safety and anonymity of a Russian IP address; you are not beyond the reach of the FBI."

The indictment was placed under seal in May 2007. The elder Zdorovenin was arrested in Zurich on March 27, 2011, and was extradited to the U.S., arriving on Monday. He could face a maximum sentence of 142 years in prison. His son remains at large, authorities said.

Send news tips and comments to jeremy_kirk@idg.com

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