An individual of 37 years from New York was sentenced to four years in jail for obtaining stolen credit card information and participating with the Infraud Organization, a cybercrime gang. On October 13, 2021, John Telusma, who used the pseudonym “Peterelliot,” pled guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy. He became this gang’s member in August 2011 and served for five and a half years.
“Telusma was among the most prolific and active members of the Infraud Organization, purchasing and fraudulently using compromised credit card numbers for his own personal gain,” said the U.S. Justice Department.
Before its internet infrastructure was demolished by US law enforcement officials in February 2018, Infraud, an international cybercrime giant, operated for more than seven years, touting its operations under the tagline “In Fraud We Trust.” The malicious company was involved in the large-scale collection and sale of compromised credit card data, personally identifiable information, and other digital contraband, facilitating the exchange of over four million stolen credit and debit card numbers.
According to the Department of Justice, the group pushed traffic and potential buyers to its members’ automated vending sites, which acted as online conduits for trafficking in stolen identities, financial and banking information, malware, and other illicit products. The DoJ further said that it also offered an escrow service to facilitate illegal digital money transfers among members and screening protocols that purported to make sure that only high-quality vendors of stolen cards, personally identifiable information, and other illicit items were allowed to advertise to members.
Consumers, companies, and financial institutions are believed to have lost $568 million due to the group’s actions. Telusma is the Infraud Organization’s 14th member to be sentenced in linkage with the conspiracy. Sergey Medvedev, Marko Leopard, David Jonathan Vargas, Valerian Chiochiu, Pius Sushil Wilson, Jose Gamboa, Aldo Ymeraj, Gennaro Fioretti, and Taimoor Zaman are among the other conspirators.
