255 Fake Accounts Used to Send Malicious Excel Files to 80,000 Freelancers

Gbhackers •Mayura Kathir • September 2, 2026

A Russian national has been extradited to the United States to face charges over an alleged phishing operation that used 255 fake accounts on a freelance employment platform to distribute malicious Microsoft Excel files to roughly 80,000 users. Federal prosecutors allege that Searzhudin Tamirlanovich Aktulaev, 40, orchestrated the campaign between June 2016 and November 2017, […]

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Russian Hacker Indicted for Malware Campaign Targeting 80,000 Freelancers Searzhudin Tamirlanovich Aktulaev, a 40-year-old Russian national, has been indicted for a malware campaign that infected approximately 80,000 users of a freelance employment platform between June 2016 and November 2017. The U.S. Department of Justice announced his extradition from Cyprus to the U.S. on August 28, 2026. Aktulaev allegedly used 255 fake accounts to send malicious Microsoft Excel attachments that prompted users to enable macros, which then downloaded two types of malware: TeamSpy (TVRAT) and DarkVNC. These remote access trojans allowed him to control infected computers and steal sensitive data. The indictment includes charges of conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and unauthorized access to protected computers. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of over 35 years in prison. The investigation revealed that half of the victims were located in the U.S., particularly in California. 13 sources 46

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255 Fake Accounts Used to Send Malicious Excel Files to 80,000 Freelancers

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