MONROVIA (CNS) - A Russian national was arrested in Monrovia on suspicion of conspiracy to recruit an employee of a Nevada company to introduce malicious software into the company's network and extort ransom money from the company, authorities said this morning.
Egor Igorevich Kriuchkov, 27, made his initial appearance in Los Angeles federal court Monday after being taken into custody Saturday. He was ordered to remain in federal custody pending trial, according to the FBI.
Kriuchkov was charged with one count of conspiracy to intentionally cause damage to a protected computer. According to the complaint and statements made in court, Kriuchkov conspired over a six-week period with associates to recruit an employee to introduce malware into an unnamed company's computer network in order to provide Kriuchkov and his co-conspirators with access to the company, the bureau said.
Kriuchkov and his associates planned to extract data from the network, threaten to make the information public and force the company to pay a ransom.
Kriuchkov met several times with an employee of the company between July 15 and Aug. 22 to discuss the conspiracy and promised the employee $1 million after the malware was introduced, the FBI said.
After FBI agents contacted Kriuchkov, he drove from Reno, Nevada to Los Angeles, where he asked an acquaintance to purchase an airline ticket for him in an attempt to fly out of the country, according to the FBI.
Kriuchkov had entered the United Stated using his Russian passport and a tourist visa, the FBI said.
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