ALIASES: Andrey Vladimirovich Tarasov, Андрей Владимирович Тарасов, “Aels”
DOB: October 20, 1990
NATIONALITY: Russia
CITIZENSHIP: Russia
HEIGHT: 5’8”
WEIGHT: 170 lbs
HAIR COLOR: Red
EYE COLOR: Brown
U.S. SECRET SERVICE FIELD OFFICE: Headquarters – Cyber Investigative Section
CASE SUMMARY
On August 12, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey unsealed an indictment charging Russian national Andrei Tarasov with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit computer fraud, and two counts of substantive wire fraud.
Tarasov is charged with cybercrime offenses associated with a scheme to transmit the Angler Exploit Kit, other malware, and online scams to the computers of millions of unsuspecting victim Internet users through online advertisements — so-called “malvertising” — and other means from October 2013 through March 2022. The malvertising campaigns were designed to appear legitimate, but often redirected victim Internet users who viewed or accessed the advertisements to malicious sites and servers that sought to defraud the users or delivered malware to the users’ devices. The Angler Exploit Kit was a leading vehicle through which malware was delivered onto compromised electronic devices.
Tarasov and his co-conspirators also allegedly enabled the delivery of “scareware” ads that displayed false messages claiming to have identified a virus or other issue with a victim Internet user’s device. The messages then attempted to deceive the victim into buying or downloading dangerous software, providing remote access to the device, or disclosing personal identifying or financial information.
Tarasov and his associates used multiple strategies to profit from their widespread hacking and wire fraud scheme, including by using accounts on predominantly Russian cybercrime forums to sell to cybercriminals access to the compromised devices of victim Internet users (so-called “loads” or “bots”), as well as information stolen from victims and recorded in “logs,” such as banking information and login credentials, to enable further efforts to defraud the victim Internet users or deliver additional malware to their devices.
The prosecution is being handled by the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey.
Relevant Links
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If you have information regarding this individual, please contact the U.S. Secret Service at MostWanted@usss.dhs.gov.