A consortium of international law enforcement has busted an online crime forum, known as Darkode, that traded in malware, botnets, and stolen personal information, including credit card details and user credentials.

The FBI announced that the bust led to charges, arrests and searches of suspected forum members and "associates" worldwide. Twelve individual have been indicted so far, including the alleged administrator of the website.


In Wisconsin, Daniel Placek, a resident of the state, was charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud. According to DOJ, Placek is “accused of creating the Darkode forum, and selling malware on Darkode designed to surreptitiously intercept and collect e-mail addresses and passwords from network communications.”

A native of Sweden, Johan Gudmunds, has been charged in Pennsylvania. He is suspected of serving as Darkode's administrator, and was charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Matjaz Skorjanc of Slovenia, according to the DOJ, faces charges in Washington, D.C., and is accused of conspiring to organize the forum.

The investigation was dubbed “Operation Shrouded Horizon" and involved law enforcement in 20 countries.

Source: SCMagazine