WASHINGTON, DC, USA – In a concerted effort to clamp down on global cybercrime, the United States Secret Service and the US Department of State have announced an unprecedented $10 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Denis Gennadievich Kulkov, an international fugitive charged with operating a major cybercrime operation.
The reward, the largest ever offered by the U.S. Secret Service, is part of the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP), which aims to disrupt and dismantle significant transnational criminal organisations.
Kulkov, a key figure in the illicit credit card trade, has been charged with access device fraud, computer intrusion, and money laundering.
Kulkov allegedly created and operated Try2Check, a service that enabled cybercriminals to verify the validity of stolen credit card numbers.
Since its inception in 2005, Try2Check has conducted tens of millions of credit card checks annually, generating at least $18 million in bitcoin and other illicit profits.
The service has caused extensive harm to credit card issuers, holders, and a major U.S.-based payment processing company, whose systems were exploited to perform the card checks.
“The Secret Service today brings all we have to bear as we announce the largest award for a fugitive in agency history, wanted on charges brought forth as a result of a years-long investigation involving multiple U.S. and international law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, in a statement published in May, 2023.
“The Secret Service remains at the forefront of investigative efforts into the darkest corners of the cybercriminal landscape, and our successes are due to our invaluable partnerships internationally and across the interagency.
I thank all those involved in this investigation, as well as the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs for sharing this immense priority and for designating this case eligible for the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program.”
The indictment against Kulkov was unsealed on May 3, 2023, by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
In conjunction with the unsealing, Try2Check’s websites were taken offline, disrupting a key tool in the cybercriminal ecosystem.
The TOCRP, established by the US Congress in 2013, empowers the Secretary of State to offer rewards for information leading to the dismantling of transnational criminal organizations, the arrest or conviction of their members and leaders, and the disruption of their financial mechanisms.
Individuals with information on Kulkov’s whereabouts are urged to contact the authorities.
Tips can be sent via email to [email protected] or reported to local U.S. Secret Service field offices.
The U.S. government emphasises the critical importance of public assistance in bringing Kulkov to justice and curbing global cybercrime activities.
