Multiple Foreign Nationals Charged in Connection with Trickbot Malware and Conti Ransomware Conspiracies
Published By
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Published Date
2023-09-07
Body
Three indictments in three different federal jurisdictions have been unsealed charging multiple Russian cybercrime actors involved in the Trickbot malware and Conti ransomware schemes.
According to court documents and public reporting, Trickbot, which was taken down in 2022, was a suite of malware tools designed to steal money and facilitate the installation of ransomware. Hospitals, schools, and businesses were among the millions of Trickbot victims who suffered tens of millions of dollars in losses. While active, Trickbot malware, which acted as an initial intrusion vector into victim computer systems, was used to support various ransomware variants, including Conti. Conti was a ransomware variant used to attack more than 900 victims worldwide, including victims in approximately 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and approximately 31 foreign countries. According to the FBI, in 2021, Conti ransomware was used to attack more critical infrastructure victims than any other ransomware variant.
“The Justice Department has taken action against individuals we allege developed and deployed a dangerous malware scheme used in cyberattacks on American school districts, local governments, and financial institutions,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said. “Separately, we have also taken action against individuals we allege are behind one of the most prolific ransomware variants used in cyberattacks across the United States, including attacks on local police departments and emergency medical services. These actions should serve as a warning to cybercriminals who target America’s critical infrastructure that they cannot hide from the United States Department of Justice.”
“Today’s announcement shows our ongoing commitment to bringing the most heinous cyber criminals to justice – those who have devoted themselves to inflicting harm on the American public, our hospitals, schools, and businesses,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said. “Cyber criminals know that we will use every lawful tool at our disposal to identify them, tirelessly pursue them, and disrupt their criminal activity. We, alongside our federal and international partners, will continue to impose costs through joint operations no matter where these criminals may attempt to hide.”
“The defendants charged in these three indictments across three different jurisdictions allegedly used their cyber knowledge and capabilities to victimize people and businesses around the world without regard for the damage they caused,” Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said. “These indictments should serve as a reminder that no matter a cybercriminal’s location, we will identify and pursue them by doing everything in our power to ensure they face the consequences of their actions.”
“Conti ransomware was used to exploit our financial systems and target hundreds of innocent victims,” Special Agent in Charge William Mancino of the U.S. Secret Service’s Criminal Investigative Division said. “The Secret Service will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to investigate cybercriminals and bring offenders to justice.”
As detailed below, a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Ohio returned an indictment charging Maksim Galochkin, aka Bentley; Maksim Rudenskiy, aka Buza; Mikhail Mikhailovich Tsarev, aka Mango; Andrey Yuryevich Zhuykov, aka Defender; Dmitry Putilin, aka Grad and Staff; Sergey Loguntsov, aka Begemot and Zulas; Max Mikhaylov, aka Baget; Valentin Karyagin, aka Globus; and Maksim Khaliullin, aka Maxfax, Maxhax, and Kagas, all Russian nationals, with conspiring to use the Trickbot malware to steal money and personal and confidential information from unsuspecting victims, including businesses and financial institutions located in the United States and around the world, beginning in November 2015.
A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Tennessee returned an indictment charging Galochkin, Rudenskiy, Tsarev, and Zhuykov with conspiring to use Conti ransomware to attack businesses, nonprofits, and governments in the United States beginning in 2020 and continuing through June 2022.
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of California returned an indictment charging Galochkin in connection with the Conti ransomware attack on Scripps Health on May 1, 2021.
Northern District of Ohio
The indictment returned in the Northern District of Ohio charged all nine defendants for their alleged roles in developing, deploying, managing, and profiting from the malware known as Trickbot. Trickbot was a sophisticated, modular, multi-functional suite of malware tools which (a) infected victims’ computers with malware designed to capture victims’ online banking login credentials; (b) obtained and harvested other personal identification information, including credit cards, emails, passwords, dates of birth, social security numbers, and addresses; (c) infected other computers connected to the victim computer; (d) used the captured login credentials to fraudulently gain unauthorized access to victims’ online bank accounts at financial institutions; (e) stole funds from victims’ bank accounts and laundered those funds using U.S. and foreign beneficiary bank accounts provided and controlled by the defendants and co-conspirators; and (f) installed ransomware on victim computers.
“As alleged in the indictment, Trickbot infected millions of computers worldwide, including those used by hospitals, schools, and businesses,” U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio said. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that these dangerous cybercriminals are not anonymous, as they once believed. The indictments unsealed today show the resolve of the international community to work together to bring cybercriminals to justice. We will continue to use all resources at our disposal to stop cybercrime.”
Each defendant is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, one count of wire fraud conspiracy, and one count of conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the scheme. The indictment also included an enhancement for falsely registering domains. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 62 years in prison.
Trickbot malware developers Alla Witte and Vladimir Dunaev were previously indicted and apprehended. Witte, a Latvian national pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit computer fraud and was sentenced to 32 months in June 2023. Dunaev, a Russian national, currently is in custody and pending trial in Cleveland.
Middle District of Tennessee
The Middle District of Tennessee indictment charges that the individuals behind Conti ransomware, including Galochkin, Rudenskiy, Tsarev, and Zhuykov, conspired to use Conti to attack hundreds of victims. Conti’s victims included hospital systems, local governments, and foreign governments. Conti conspirators allegedly extorted funds from victims in the Middle District of Tennessee and encrypted the computer systems of a local sheriff’s department, a local police department, and local emergency medical services, among others. Ransom notes left on Conti victims’ computer systems typically boasted “if you don’t [know Conti] – just ‘google it.’”
“The conspirators who developed and deployed Conti ransomware victimized businesses, governments, and non-profits around the world, including a sheriff’s office and an emergency medical service in Tennessee,” U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee said. “We will continue to use the full power of this office to ensure that hackers can no longer hide behind their computer screens and to hold them accountable.”
Galochkin was a “crypter” for Conti, modifying the ransomware so that it would not be detected by anti-virus programs; Rudenskiy was a developer who supervised other Conti developers; Tsarev was a manager of other Conti conspirators; and Zhuykov was a systems administrator who managed users of Conti infrastructure, organized and paid for infrastructure and tools, and assisted in problem solving infrastructure-related issues.
Galochkin, Rudenskiy, Tsarev, and Zhuykov are each charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and one count wire fraud conspiracy. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.
Southern District of California
As alleged in the Southern District of California indictment, Galochkin caused the transmission of the Conti malware and impaired the medical examination, diagnosis, treatment, and care of one or more individuals.
Galochkin is charged with three counts of computer hacking. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
“The indictment alleges a callous disregard for the medical care and the personal information of residents of the Southern District of California,” Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Haden for the Southern District of California said. “This office is committed to protecting victims of cybercrime and holding perpetrators accountable.”
The FBI Cleveland Field Office is leading the investigation into Trickbot malware.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Riedl and Duncan Brown for the Northern District of Ohio and Senior Counsel Candina Heath of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the Trickbot malware case.
The FBI San Diego, Memphis, and El Paso Field Offices, with U.S. Secret Service, are leading the investigation into Conti ransomware. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas provided significant assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor J. Phillips for the Middle District of Tennessee, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Shapiro and Kareem Salem for the Southern District of California, and Trial Attorney Sonia V. Jimenez and Senior Counsel Ryan K.J. Dickey of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the Conti ransomware cases.
The Justice Department’s National Security Division provided significant assistance in the Conti ransomware and Trickbot malware investigations.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Northern District of Ohio indictment
Middle District of Tennessee indictment
Southern District of California indictment
New USCP Initiatives Aim to Add Agents & Investigators to Further Protect the U.S. Congress
August 8, 2023
Press Release
The United States Capitol Police (USCP) is making improvements to the hiring process and launching a new recruiting campaign in order to hire more agents and investigators to protect Members of Congress. The changes come as the Department continues to expand its protective and investigative responsibilities.
Check out our new recruiting video HERE.
Previously the USCP’s Dignitary Protection Division (DPD) and the Investigations Division (ID) only hired internal candidates. The Department is now adding additional paths to become an agent or investigator with the United States Capitol Police.
The new positions can be found on the USCP Careers page HERE.
Lateral Hires: Agents or investigators who are currently working for other federal law enforcement agencies or the military. Lateral hires can earn between $81,000 and $132,000, depending on previous law enforcement experience.
Entry Level Hires: Anyone who is interested in an exciting career as a Special Agent or an Investigator with the USCP can now apply. Entry level agents and investigators can earn $81,311 during their first year and then $85,375 after they complete one year of required training.
Other benefits for agents and investigators include:
- No mobility agreement, which means agents will not get transferred to other states.
- The ability to investigate a wide range of cases across the country, including stalking, threats, financial crimes, and cybercrimes.
- The opportunity to apply for Task Force positions.
Reemployed Annuitants: The Department is also adding reemployed annuitant positions calledProtective Officers. Law Enforcement Agents or Officers who retired from a federal law enforcement agency or the military can now directly apply to become a Protective Officer. These new Protective Officers will be responsible for supporting the USCP’s Protective Services Operations (PSO) as drivers for the Dignitary Protection Division, protecting the homes of Members of Congress, and working to receive threats that come into the Threats Duty Desk. The salary for reemployed annuitants is $132,391.
These are just some of the Department’s latest efforts to expand and improve its protective operations.
Current USCP officers will still be able to apply to become USCP agents and investigators. This new improvement will simply create a second pipeline of recruits, so the Department can continue to grow its Uniformed Operations, while simultaneously expanding its Protective Services Operations (PSO).
In January, the USCP released the number of cases its Threat Assessment Section (TAS) investigated in 2022 — a total of 7,501 cases. That number includes investigations into concerning statements and direct threats. Although the number of threat investigations decreased in 2022, the caseload remained historically high.
Here are the TAS case numbers in comparison for the previous five years:
- 7,501 in 2022
- 9,625 in 2021
- 8,613 in 2020
- 6,955 in 2019
- 5,206 in 2018
- 3,939 in 2017
While the Department continues to expand its protective and investigative responsibilities, the best way to keep everyone safe is to decrease violent political rhetoric across the country.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, September 8, 2023
Pennsylvania Man Found Guilty of Felony and Misdemeanor Charges Related to Capitol Breach
Defendant smashed glass of the Senate Wing Door windowpane and window, allowing the mob to climb into Capitol Building
WASHINGTON – A Pennsylvania man was found guilty in the District of Columbia today of ten felony and misdemeanor charges for his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.
Leo Brent Bozell IV, 44, of Palmyra, Pennsylvania, was found guilty of 10 charges, including five felonies. The verdict followed a bench trial before U.S. District Judge John D. Bates, who scheduled a sentencing hearing for January 9, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, Bozell attended the rally at the Ellipse on Jan. 6, 2021, then proceeded to the Capitol grounds. Bozell, also known as Zeeker, was wearing a red and white hat and a distinctive blue sweatshirt emblazoned with “Hershey Christian Academy” across the front. Bozell was caught on video and in photos Bozell ransacking inside the U.S. Capitol.
After the rally, the Bozell marched with the crowd to the Capitol grounds and made his way past police barriers. Bozell approached the Northwest Stairs, lined with bike racks and police officers trying to prevent the mob from accessing the Capitol. Bozell used a bike rack as a makeshift ladder to ascend to the landing platform. Once there, Bozell waved others up the steps as he stood face-to-face with United States Capitol Police (USCP). While at the front of the mob, another rioter coordinated the crowd by yelling, “ARE YOU READY TO PUSH? LET’S PUSH! . . . PUSH!” The rioters – Bozell at front – barreled through the police line. Once at the top of the stairs, the mob overtook another police line, gaining a path to the Capitol building.
When Bozell reached the Senate Wing doors, Bozell bashed an exterior windowpane ten times with a hard object, causing it to crack and break. Bozell moved a couple feet over to another window directly north of the Senate Wing Door, and bashed that window eleven times until glass shattered. At about 2:15 p.m., Bozell, with scores of other rioters, clambered through the window that he helped break.
Bozell and other rioters marched towards the Senate Wing as nearby Senate staffers hurried away from the mob. A USCP officer respond to the breach. The mob, Bozell included, chased the officer up a staircase. The responding officer led the rioters into the Ohio Clock Corridor where a line of other officers awaited. Bozell separated from the group and made his way down a hall and entered a meeting room for Senators.
Around that time, two USCP Officers checking rooms for staffers in hiding discovered Bozell in the room. The officers escorted Bozell out, and he rejoined the rioters in the Ohio Clock Corridor and walked deeper into the Capitol building eventually making his way to the Office of the Speaker of the Senate, Nancy Pelosi. As he exited the Speaker’s office, Bozell appeared to be carrying something in his hand. He proceeded to the Rotunda doors where he joined the rioters to force the doors open, allowing another flood of rioters into the building.
Soon after, Bozell was videoed on the balcony of the U.S. Senate Chamber. As the mob chanted “Treason! Treason!” Bozell unpacked a bag that he found filled with emergency supplies. While still in the Senate Gallery, he climbed over railings and reached a pair of CSPAN cameras. Bozell pointed one camera at the ground, obstruction its recording ability, just as rioters made it to the Senate Floor. Bozell made it to the Senate floor shortly thereafter.
Bozell left the Capitol Building at 3:07 p.m. having spent almost an hour inside.
Bozell was arrested on Feb. 21, 2021, in Palmyra, Pennsylvania.
On April 26, 2023, a grand jury returned a ten-count indictment charging Bozell with five felonies: obstructing an official proceeding and aiding and abetting; two counts of destruction of government property and aiding and abetting; civil disorder; and assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers; as well as various misdemeanors, including entering and remaining in a restricted building and grounds.
The felony obstruction charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and potential financial penalties. The misdemeanor offenses carry a combined statutory maximum of 3 ½ years of incarceration and potential financial penalties. The Court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Harrisburg Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 32 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,146 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 398 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Topic(s):
Violent Crime
Component(s):
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Press Release Number:
23-536
Updated September 8, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, September 8, 2023
Defendant in Cold Case Arrested on Charges of Sexual Assault
WASHINGTON – Baltazar Gutierrez Carrillo, 50, of Ft. Washington, Maryland, was arrested Wednesday on charges stemming from a 2017 sexual assault of a stranger, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to court documents, in 2017, the 30-year old victim was visiting D.C. and socializing with friends. At some point, the victim parted ways with his friends and began walking to where he was staying. The defendant, Gutierrez Carrillo, who was a stranger to the victim, encountered him and sexually assaulted him in an alley. When the victim was able to get away, he reported immediately and obtained a sexual assault examination including a rape kit. The rape kit was tested and a foreign male profile was entered in CODIS with no results.
In 2023, MPD received notice of a DNA hit in a database linking defendant Gutierrez Carrillo to the 2017 rape kit. On July 12, 2023, the grand jury returned an indictment charging the defendant with one count of First Degree Sexual Abuse and one count of Second Degree Sexual Abuse. The defendant was brought to D.C. by the U.S. Marshals Service and, on September 6, 2023, was booked by MPD on the charges. On September 7, 2023, Gutierrez Carrillo was arraigned before the Honorable Anthony C. Epstein. A detention hearing is scheduled for September 29, 2023.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department with valuable assistance from the U.S. Marshal’s Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Zubrensky.
Topic(s):
Violent Crime
Component(s):
Press Release Number:
23-535
Updated September 8, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, September 8, 2023
North Carolina Woman Pleads Guilty to Fatally Stabbing a Man During a Visit to Washington DC
Incident Occurred in January 2023
WASHINGTON – Cynthia Battle, 54, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to stabbing a man to death on January 16, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Battle pleaded in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of voluntary manslaughter. The Honorable Michael O’Keefe accepted the plea and scheduled sentencing for November 17, 2023.
According to the government’s evidence, on January 15, 2023, Cynthia Battle and two friends drove from their homes in North Carolina to visit a friend in Washington DC. The following day, the decedent, Raymond Johnson, joined them all at the friend’s house. At approximately 11:45 pm on January 16, 2023, Battle, Johnson, and a witness walked together down Minnesota Ave. Southeast, to purchase crack cocaine. While outside on the street, and in the midst of this drug transaction, Battle was captured on surveillance camera lunging towards Johnson. Battle, Johnson, and the witness then quickly separated, walking in opposite directions. Minutes later, a 911 caller found Johnson further down the street. Johnson was laying face down and unconscious, bleeding from a single stab wound to his chest.
The sole eyewitness to the stabbing immediately drove back to North Carolina, leaving Battle behind. Battle caught her own ride back to North Carolina the next day, after which she absconded. Members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) worked with members of the Halifax County Sherriff’s Office to locate and interview the witness within days of the stabbing. The witness initially claimed not to have seen anything, but later admitted to seeing a flash of silver in Battle’s hand as Battle struck Johnson in the chest. Law enforcement from these two jurisdictions also worked together to search Battle’s home, where they found the clothing she wore on the night of the murder. Battle was arrested in March 2023, and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the cooperation from the Halifax County Sherriff’s Office, and acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Latrice Washington-Williams and Paralegal Specialist Lauren Douglas. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Lindhorst, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Topic(s):
Violent Crime
Component(s):
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Press Release Number:
23-534
Updated September 8, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, September 8, 2023
Tennessee Mother and Son (“Zip Tie Guy”) Sentenced on Felony and Misdemeanor Charges Related to Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol Breach
Defendants Stole Flexi-Cuffs from Capitol Building Closet, Carried Them into the Senate Gallery, Looking for Potential Hostages
WASHINGTON – A mother and son from Tennessee were sentenced in the District of Columbia today on felony and misdemeanor charges related to their actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Their actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.
Eric Gavelek Munchel, 32, of Nashville, Tennessee, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth to 57 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.
Lisa Marie Eisenhart, 59, of Woodstock, Georgia, was sentenced by Judge Lamberth to 30 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.
Munchel and Eisenhart were both convicted of conspiracy to commit obstruction and obstruction of an official proceeding, both felonies, as well as entering and remaining in a gallery of Congress, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building on April 19, 2023, following a stipulated bench trial before Judge Lamberth.
Munchel alone was also found guilty of two additional felonies: disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon (a Taser), and unauthorized possession of a deadly or dangerous weapon on Capitol grounds.
According to the stipulated facts, Munchel and Eisenhart, both of whom were wearing tactical vests, entered the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to disrupt Congress’s certification of the 2020 presidential election. Munchel also carried a Taser holstered on his hip. As they approached the Capitol building, they saw other rioters fighting with police and encouraged them to do so.
Munchel and Eisenhart observed police wearing body armor and using chemical irritants and gas to repel rioters like themselves but were not deterred. Instead, even though they were aware their actions were unlawful, they pushed forward, past police lines, and entered the Capitol building. Once inside, Munchel and Eisenhart made their way through the building to the Senate Gallery. Photos and video captured Munchel and Eisenhart carrying flexi-cuffs—plastic zip tie-style handcuffs—that they stole from a closet inside the Capitol.
While inside the Senate and carrying the stolen restraints, Munchel and Eisenhart wondered aloud where the “traitors” and “cowards”—meaning the Senators—had gone. Later, both Munchel and Eisenhart gave statements to a reporter in which they acknowledged that their actions were intended to intimidate Congress.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Lamberth stated that it was clear from the defendants’ statements and actions on January 6th that “they stole the flexi-cuffs and carried them into the Senate gallery because they intended to take senators hostage, if possible. Luckily, all of the senators and their staffs had already evacuated.”
These cases were prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
These cases were investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and FBI Memphis Field Office – Nashville Resident Agency. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 32 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,100 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 396 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Topic(s):
Violent Crime
Component(s):
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Press Release Number:
23-533
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, September 8, 2023
Jamaican National Charged with Debt Relief Scam
Defendant Extradited from Jamaica to Answer Eight-Count Indictment
WASHINGTON – Sereika Savariau, also known as Sereika Savariau-Goodison, 36, of Jamaica, appeared in U.S. federal court today and was arraigned on an eight-count indictment charging her with creating a series of fraudulent debt relief companies that tricked U.S. victims into paying fees and disclosing personal identifying information, sensitive information, and identity documents to obtain debt relief, which did not actually exist. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Sally Luttrell Assistant Inspector General for Investigations U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Inspector General
On December 2, 2021, a federal grand jury returned an eight-count sealed indictment charging Savariau with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, four counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution, and three counts of aggravated identity theft. The indictment alleges that between 2016 and 2018, Savariau conspired with others to profit from fees paid by victims of fraudulent debt relief companies. The indictment alleges that conspirators created and operated fraudulent businesses and websites that marketed and sold fraudulent debt relief services to members of the public. Conspirators fraudulently misrepresented that members of the public could apply for and obtains thousands of dollars’ worth of debt relief on their outstanding, unpaid bills in the form of grants, all in exchange for payment of a service processing fee. Conspirators also claimed that the purported debt relief was funded and administered by the U.S. government. Through their false representations, Savariau and her co-conspirators are alleged to have induced or attempted to induce victims throughout the United States to pay over a million dollars’ worth of service processing fees to Savariau and her co-conspirators via Western Union, Money Gram, PayPal, and other payment mechanisms.
Savariau arrived in the D.C. metropolitan area on Thursday after being extradited from Jamaica. At today’s initial appearance, the Honorable Zia M. Faruqui ordered that she be held without bond pending her next hearing, which is scheduled for September 20, 2023.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Inspector General, the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Savariau. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Louisa Becker and Ashley Pungello, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman.
Attachment(s):
Topic(s):
Violent Crime
Component(s):
Criminal – Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section
Press Release Number:
23-532
Updated September 8, 2023
1DCAC 