Pierluigi Paganini
September 08, 2024
Alex Khodyrev (35) from Kazakhstan) and Pavel Kublitskii (37) from Russia have been indicted in Tampa, Florida, for conspiracy to commit access device fraud and wire fraud.
Between 2014 and 2024, the duo operated the dark web marketplace WWH Club (wwh-club[.]ws) which focused on selling stolen personal data and conducting illegal activities. WWH Club had over 353,000 users by 2023 and offered courses on fraud and cybercrime, generating profits through membership and tuition fees.
Khodyrev and Kublitskii were also the administrators of many similar websites, including darkweb marketplaces, forums, and training centers to enable cybercrime.
The indictment also notifies Alex Khodyrev and Pavel Kublitskii of the seizure respectively of a 2023 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG and a 2020 Cadillac CT5 Sport sedan. The two vehicles were likely paid with the proceeds of their alleged crimes.
“WWH Club and sister site members used the marketplaces to buy and sell stolen personal identifying information (PII), credit card and bank account information, and computer passwords, among other sensitive information. On the forums of WWH Club and its sister sites, users discussed best practices for committing frauds, launching cyberattacks, and evading law enforcement, among other topics.” reads the press release published by DoJ. “WWH Club also offered online courses that taught aspiring and active cyber criminals how to commit frauds.”
As of 2023, WWH marketplace had around 353,000 global users. Khodyrev, Kublitskii, and other co-administrators profited from membership fees, tuition, and advertising. Before their arrest and indictment, the two men had been living in Miami for two years while secretly operating WWH Club and related dark web platforms.
In January 2023, an undercover FBI agent in Florida registered for an account on the WWH dark web marketplace and paid about $1,000 in Bitcoin to attend a training session. The training, held online via chat had around 50 participants and covered methods for obtaining and using stolen credit card data and personal information for fraudulent purposes. The instructors also promoted tools and services available on WWH that could help users carry out criminal activities.
If convicted, each could face up to 20 years in prison.
Despite the arrests of Khodyrev and Kublitskii, the WWH dark web marketplace remains active. Current administrators claim the two men were merely moderators without administrative control. However, the US authorities believe that the two men had a key role in the administration of the marketplace.
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