Maksim Silnikau, also known by the name Maksym Silnikov, is a 38-year-old skilled computer hacker who allegedly has been participating in international scams designed to spread malware, exploit internet vulnerabilities, and steal important data for years. The Ukrainian and Belarusian dual national was apprehended and extradited to the United States from Poland to face multiple cyber-related criminal charges.

Ultimately, investigators believe the suspect’s scams were the lower-level steps towards committing ransomware attacks on victims throughout the U.S. and the world.

The U.S. Justice Department is accusing Silnikau of perpetuating a scam in New Jersey to transmit an “Angler Exploit Kit” and malware onto the computers of millions of unsuspecting victims through online advertisements. This scam allegedly was perpetrated for almost a decade between October 2013 and March of 2022.

Once victims clicked on these ads, malware was delivered to the computers, which would immediately begin exploiting vulnerabilities. Then, the victims would begin seeing popups telling them that their device was infected. The same malware offered a “solution” to victims in the form of software that allowed the hackers 100% remote access to all the personal data on the computer. Once this software was downloaded onto the device, hackers were able to successfully extract sensitive data and information.

The suspect is also accused of working alongside Volodymyr Kadariya, another 38-year-old Ukrainian and Belarusian dual national, and 33-year-old Andrei Tarasov, a Russian national. Both of these co-conspirators have also been indicted.

If convicted in New Jersey, Silnikau could face up to 27 years in prison for committing wire fraud conspiracy, 20 years in prison for each separate incident of wire fraud, and 10 years for computer fraud conspiracy charges.

Silnikau faces additional conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to commit access device fraud in Virginia. A conviction on these charges could result in a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Global Crime, Extradition, and International Legal Representation

All too often, internet users make the mistake of thinking that anonymity shields them from ever having to face real-world consequences for their online actions. As we can see from the case above, that’s rarely true. In fact, not even committing crimes in another country can protect you from facing justice eventually, since most countries have extradition treaties between each other.

Extradition happens when you’ve committed a crime in a country where you’re not residing in anymore, that country issues a warrant for your arrest, and you get apprehended in a different country. That country is likely to transport you to the receiving country where you committed the crime to ensure that justice is served.

Depending on your situation, though, you might be able to avoid getting extradited and transported to another country to face jail time. The best way to learn more about your options and rights is to speak directly with an international lawyer who can analyze the circumstances of your exact situation.

Reach out to our team of global lawyers now to talk about your legal situation in more detail with our experts.