Liridon Masurica, a 33-year-old Kosovo national also known as @blackdb, has pleaded guilty to his role as the lead administrator of the cybercrime marketplace BlackDB.cc. He was arrested in Kosovo on December 14, 2024, and was later extradited to the United States on May 9, 2025. Following his court appearance in Tampa, Masurica was detained on May 12, marking the end of the seven-year operation of the notorious online market.
According to court documents, the BlackDB.cc marketplace, which was active between 2018 and 2025, provided a platform for cybercriminals to buy and sell various illicit goods. The marketplace specialized in compromised accounts, stolen credit card information, and sensitive personal data belonging to victims from across the globe, with a specific focus on individuals in the United States. This extensive database of stolen information fueled a wide range of fraudulent activities.
The stolen data sold on BlackDB.cc was exploited by criminals for a variety of offenses, including credit card fraud, tax fraud, and identity theft. Masurica faced a total of six charges, including five counts of fraudulent use of unauthorized access devices and one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud. His guilty plea could lead to a maximum sentence of 55 years in federal prison, reflecting the severity of the crimes he facilitated.
The successful investigation and prosecution were the result of a collaborative effort between international law enforcement agencies. The FBI spearheaded the investigation, working closely with the Kosovo Police’s Cybercrime Investigation Directorate. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Sofia provided crucial support, which was instrumental in Masurica’s arrest and extradition to the U.S.
Masurica’s case is part of a broader crackdown on cybercrime marketplaces worldwide. In a related operation in December 2024, authorities seized the Rydox marketplace and arrested three of its admins, also Kosovo nationals. Around the same time, German law enforcement shut down Crimenetwork and the Manson market. Earlier this year, Ukrainian authorities arrested the suspected administrator of the hacking forum XSS, following the reported detention of five operators of the BreachForums in France. These coordinated efforts highlight the increasing cooperation among global law enforcement agencies in the fight against online criminal activity.
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