A San Fernando Valley man is in cuffs today, facing federal charges for allegations of playing a key role in a scheme to peddle dangerous computer intrusion malware named "Hive," which provided cyber crooks with remote control over unwary individuals' computers. Edmond Chakhmakhchyan, 24, who operated under the moniker "Corruption," was nabbed Wednesday by the feds without drama, as stated in the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California.
The accusation paints Chakhmakhchyan as a hawk of the Hive remote access trojan (RAT), which he allegedly advertised on "Hack Forums",, and provided to his customers in exchange for Bitcoin payments. The heinous software supposedly allowed users to hijack computers, swipe passwords, and access bank and cryptocurrency accounts without the victim's inkling. Chakhmakhchyan kept his hands clean by providing customer service for the transaction, per the unsealed indictment upon his arraignment Thursday.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California, the defendant teamed up some four years ago with Hive's creator, and he didn't pull punches in promoting the malware's invasive features. He confidently informed a prospective buyer about the RAT's ability to allow stealthy access to another person's computer, a dialogue that reveals the sinister intentions behind the transaction. "The point" of using the Hive RAT, confessed the buyer, was to target a victim with "20k in bitcoin on a blockchain wallet" and lucrative "project files worth over 5k." Chakhmakhchyan, seeing an opportunity, agreed to the sale.
Presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, Chakhmakhchyan's trial date is set for June 4. Meanwhile, the FBI continues their investigation with a helping hand from the Australian Federal Police, who are simultaneously charging an Aussie national linked to the malware's creation. Assistant United States Attorney Sue J. Bai of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section leads the prosecution in what appears to be a concerted global effort against cybercrime.
