Russian Hacker Indicted for Malware Campaign Targeting 80,000 Freelancers

• •Searzhudin Aktulaev indicted for infecting 80,000 freelance workers with malware.
• •Malware spread via malicious Excel attachments using fake accounts on a freelance platform.
• •If convicted, Aktulaev faces over 35 years in prison for multiple charges.

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.