DHS Praises US Secret Service for Alleged Russian Hacker Extradition

 

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson commended the US Secret Service on bringing in Russian suspected hacker Vladimir Drinkman from the Netherlands, according to the statement released by the DHS.

“I congratulate the United States Secret Service for their fine work in bringing here to face justice alleged international cyber-criminal Vladimir Drinkman,” Johnson said in the statement issued on Wednesday. “This is the largest such scheme ever prosecuted in the United States, and the Secret Service is the lead investigative agency,” he added.

Drinkman was charged in the United States for theft of data trough cyberattacks but pleaded not guilty earlier on Wednesday, a US Department of Justice press release said. He was arraigned in a Newark, New Jersey court on Tuesday, after being extradited by the Netherlands on the request of the United States.

The United States charged Drinkman for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to steal data that resulted in the theft of 160 million US bank cards details. His trial before US District judge is scheduled for April 27, 2015.

“These network intrusions resulted in the theft and distribution of sensitive financial data, including more than 160 million payment card numbers, which were used in identity theft schemes to cause financial losses exceeding $300 million,” the statement said.

Moscow expressed concern over the Netherlands authorities’ decision to extradite Drinkman to the United States, despite its arguments in favor of his primary extradition to Russia in compliance with the 1999 Russian-US Treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.