The FBI has launched a significant operation against a dark web marketplace known as WWH Club, leading to the indictment of two key figures in the cybercrime world. Alex Khodyrev, a 35-year-old from Kazakhstan, and Pavel Kublitskii, a 37-year-old Russian, have been charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud and wire fraud. Both men are accused of managing WWH Club and its associated sites, which include wwh-club[.]ws, wwh-club[.]net, and several others. These platforms facilitated the illegal sale of sensitive personal and financial information, including credit card data and computer passwords.
The investigation began in July 2020 when the FBI discovered that WWH Club’s primary domain resolved to an IP address registered with DigitalOcean. This led to a federal search warrant and uncovered a network of dark web marketplaces and forums where cybercriminals could buy and sell stolen data. The forums not only served as trading hubs but also as educational platforms for aspiring hackers, offering courses on various aspects of cybercrime, including DDoS attacks and fraud.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, undercover FBI agents paid approximately $1,000 in bitcoin to participate in a training course offered by WWH Club. The course provided detailed instruction on obtaining and using stolen credit card information and personal data for fraudulent activities. The marketplace boasted a significant user base, with 353,000 registered members as of March 2023, up from 170,000 in July 2020.
Khodyrev and Kublitskii have been residing in Miami while continuing their management of WWH Club and its associated operations. If convicted, they each face up to 20 years in federal prison. Additionally, the indictment includes the forfeiture of luxury vehicles purchased with proceeds from their criminal activities, highlighting the serious legal repercussions they face for their involvement in this extensive cybercrime operation.
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