Denis Gennadievich Kulkov, accused of running Try2Check, a "card-checking" platform used by cybercriminals in the stolen credit card trade, has been charged with access device fraud, computer intrusion and money laundering.
"[This] indictment and global takedown of the Try2Check website demonstrates that the office, together with our partners, will disrupt cybercrime operations no matter where they are based," said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York.
According to a news release issued May 3, Kulkov has been charged with access device fraud, computer intrusion and money laundering for operating Try2Check. This "card-checking" platform catered to cybercriminals in the stolen credit card trade, the government said. The platform processed tens of millions of stolen credit card numbers each year, allowing criminals to quickly determine what percentage of the cards were valid and active.
Kulkov's platform enabled the trade in stolen credit card information, generating at least $18 million in bitcoin for the defendant, who used the money to purchase a Ferrari and other luxury items. The indictment was announced by Peace and special agent-in-charge of the U.S. Secret Service New York Field Office, Patrick Freaney.
The State Department has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Kulkov. Additionally, the department is offering a second reward of up to $1 million for information leading to the identification of any other key leaders of the Try2Check transnational organized crime group.
"Today is a bad day for criminals who relied on the defendant's platform as the gold standard to verify that the credit cards they stole from hard working individuals living in the Eastern District of New York and across the world had value," Peace said.
The indictment of Kulkov and the takedown of Try2Check send a message to cybercriminals that law enforcement is taking aggressive action to disrupt their operations and bring them to justice, the government says. It also highlights the importance of international cooperation in combating cybercrime and transnational organized crime.
