BOSTON—A Russian man, who was known by the online nickname “Joga,” plead guilty Monday in U.S. District Court to stealing credit and debit card information to make more than $400,000 in purchases, officials said.
Alexey Svetlichnyy, 32, a Russian citizen living in Tewksbury, Mass., plead guilty to an Information charging him with one count of wire fraud conspiracy, according to authorities.
U.S. District Court Judge Allison Dale Burroughs scheduled sentencing for June 3.
Svetlichnyy, who was charged by complaint in May 2014, is facing up to 20 years in prison, authorities said.
As alleged in the charging document, Svetlichnyy, and others, obtained stolen credit and debit card data and related account holder information over online forums dedicated to trafficking in stolen information, including Carder Planet, Vendorsname, and Direct Connect.
Svetlichnyy, and his co-conspirators, used the stolen data to make online purchases of numerous goods:
- Apple iPads
- Samsung cell phones
- Laptop computers and servers
- Computer processors
- Scuba diving equipment
- high-end camera lenses
- Water filtration equipment.
They also used the stolen data to make online purchases of stored value cards issued by or on behalf of American Express, Visa, Budget Rental Car, Frontier Airlines, Macy’s, and other retailers, according to federal officials.
When making these online purchases, Svetlichnyy, and others, frequently used the names and billing addresses associated with the stolen data, but then shipped the goods and cards to addresses that Svetlichnyy controlled.
Svetlichnyy, and others, advertised over Russian language social networks to recruit individuals to receive the stolen consumer goods and stored value cards, officials said.
Svetlichnyy, and others, paid the individuals to re-ship the items to addresses in Chelmsford and North Reading, Mass., among other places, where Svetlichnyy had opened private commercial mailboxes in the name of a Delaware company, Micaxr, LLC, officials said.
From March 2010 to October 2013, Svetlichnyy sold the stolen consumer goods and stored value cards for more than $427,000 on eBay. Svetlichnyy, and others, wired a portion of the criminal proceeds overseas, including to Russian bank accounts, authorities said.