BOSTON, MA – Vitalii Antonenko, a 32-year-old New York City resident, pleaded guilty on Thursday to multiple conspiracies involving computer hacking, trafficking stolen credit card information, and laundering the illicit proceeds. Antonenko entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge William G. Young, admitting to charges of unauthorized access to computer networks and laundering the money earned through these criminal activities.
Antonenko was arrested in March 2019 at John F. Kennedy International Airport after arriving from Ukraine. He was found in possession of digital media containing hundreds of thousands of stolen payment card numbers. Following an indictment by a federal grand jury in May 2020, his sentencing is scheduled for December 10, 2024.
Antonenko and his co-conspirators targeted vulnerable computer networks, using a technique called SQL injection to infiltrate systems storing payment card data and personally identifiable information (PII). Once extracted, the stolen data was sold on criminal marketplaces. To conceal the proceeds, Antonenko and his associates laundered the funds through Bitcoin transactions, traditional bank transfers, and cash, making it difficult to trace the illicit activity. Among the victims of the conspiracy were a hospitality business and a scientific research institution located in eastern Massachusetts.
The charge of conspiracy to gain unauthorized access to computer networks carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a more severe penalty, with up to 20 years in prison, a $500,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy, alongside Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Boston Field Office, announced the guilty plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth B. Kosto is prosecuting the case.
Antonenko’s conviction underscores the growing threat of cybercrime and the commitment of law enforcement to prosecute individuals involved in hacking and financial fraud.
