Russian national Aleksandr Andreevich Panin was the force behind the creation of the SpyEye Trojan. He has plead guilty to charges of banking and wire fraud, using botnets of enslaved computers to harvest financial credentials from internet users around the world.

Ricky Maxwell, the FBI agent in charge, said: "The apprehension of Mr. Panin means that one of the world's top developers of malicious software is no longer in a position to create computer programs that can victimize people around the world."

"Botnets such as SpyEye represent one of the most dangerous types of malicious software on the Internet today, which can steal people's identities and money from their bank accounts without their knowledge."

During its two years of operation, first introduced in 2009, it is estimated to have infected 1.4 million machines. Over 10,000 bank accounts, as of 2013, are thought to have been compromised, Panin sold the software on black code forums for between $1,000 to $8,500.

"Panin was the architect of a pernicious malware known as 'SpyEye' that infected computers worldwide," said US Attorney Sally Yates of the Northern District of Georgia. "He commercialized the wholesale theft of financial and personal information. And now he is being held to account for his actions. Cyber criminals be forewarned: you cannot hide in the shadows of the Internet. We will find you and bring you to justice."

April 29th is the date that Panin is expected to be sentenced.