A Ukrainian national has been extradited to the United States on charges related to an international "carding" fraud scheme, following his arrest in Germany last December. According to a recent announcement by U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, Dena J. King, 49-year-old Viacheslav Alexandrovich Basovych is set to face multiple charges, including wire fraud conspiracy, access device fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Basovych's alleged involvement in the scheme, which reportedly spanned from October 2013 to February 2022, involved the theft of personal identifiable information and financial data from victims to make unauthorized transactions, with over 148,000 fraudulent transactions totaling more than $1.8 million; the low dollar amounts ranging between $7 and $15 were likely a strategy to avoid detection by the victims, this extensive operation resulted in significant financial damage with over 5,100 fraudulent charges occurring in Charlotte alone. After his extradition on August 8. Basovych was remanded into federal custody his indictment having been unsealed following his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge W. Carleton Metcalf.
Emphasizing the global reach of contemporary justice, U.S. Attorney King stated, "Greed knows no bounds, but justice has no borders," evidence of a concerted effort to bring international cyber criminals to account regardless of their location. Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Charlotte Division, Robert M. DeWitt, echoed a similar sentiment, acknowledging the challenge of safeguarding identities in the current digital landscape and affirming the FBI's dedication to pursuing cybercriminals across international lines.
The charges against Basovych carry severe potential penalties, with the wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges each holding maximum sentences of 20 years in prison, and access device fraud up to 10 years. However, it's important to remember these are mere allegations, and the defendant maintains the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law; only through due process will the full measure of justice be applied. In building the case against Basovych, the FBI's Charlotte Field Office received acknowledgment from U.S. Attorney King, who also extended gratitude to INTERPOL's offices in Wiesbaden, Germany, and Washington, D.C., and the Department of Justice's Office of International Affairs for their roles in the arrest and extradition.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Billings is in charge of prosecuting Basovych's case, as the legal proceedings move forward, the international collaborative efforts exemplify the growing resolve to combat and deter transnational cybercrime.
