Crime

Man Due in Court for Massive ‘Spamming Network’

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A Russian man accused of masterminding a vast worldwide spamming network is due to appear in a Wisconsin federal court.

Oleg (OH’-leg) Nikolaenko (NIK’-oh-lye-ehn-koh) is set to be arraigned Friday morning in Milwaukee.

Prosecutors say the 23-year-old Moscow man ran a network that involved placing malicious code on unsuspecting users’ computers and then hijacking the infected machines to blast out billions of e-mails.

Internet-security experts say the network was so massive that on some days it accounted for one of every three unwanted e-mails in the world.

Nikolaenko is charged with violating a U.S. anti-spam act. The charge carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Defense attorney Chris Van Wagner says he plans to mount a “vigorous” defense.

Comments (19)

  • dontbotherme
    Posted on December 3, 2010 at 8:10pm

    I wish he would get 3 years for each act committed. That would be justice. He’s going to continue his crime when he is released from prison (if he even gets there).

    Report Post »  
  • donnyho
    Posted on December 3, 2010 at 12:40pm

    Malicious spamming aside, for spamming to continue to be viable to spammers, there must be some who respond to them. If these people can be persuaded to not respond to an unsolicited email, spammers who send them to make money will go away.

    Report Post »  
    • lwilli201
      Posted on December 3, 2010 at 2:24pm

      The government does not want people capable of making the correct decisions. The government wants a populations that can not live without the government protecting them from SPAM.

      Report Post »  
  • Uncle Sambo
    Posted on December 3, 2010 at 9:11am

    “They should be going after him for a Wide Range of other Illegal and rightfully so acts of Unauthorized Access to a Computer Network, Unauthorized Control of Personal Property and a Wide Range of Hacking Violations that carry far far greater penalties,. but are also harder to prove.”

    Is it really so hard to prove or is your Uncle Sambo just no good for nothing and lazy to boot?

    Report Post »  
  • the_ancient
    Posted on December 3, 2010 at 8:58am

    As a tech person I feel they have always attacked this problem for the wrong reasons and the wrong way.

    Spam, in alot of cases is annoying, but personally it is easier to get rid of Spam than the millions of Pieces of Unsolicited Regular mail I get, which IMO is far far far far far more annoying than spam.

    But I digress. In this case, they are going after him for the act of Sending Email!!! Unsolicited or not I do not believe this should be an illegal act. They should be going after him for a Wide Range of other Illegal and rightfully so acts of Unauthorized Access to a Computer Network, Unauthorized Control of Personal Property and a Wide Range of Hacking Violations that carry far far greater penalties,. but are also harder to prove.

    Report Post » the_ancient  
  • Uncle Sambo
    Posted on December 3, 2010 at 8:46am

    I am great. Isn’t America Great? Don’t you folks just love the sense of justice?

    “Prosecutors say the 23-year-old Moscow man ran a network that involved placing malicious code on unsuspecting users’ computers and then hijacking the infected machines to blast out billions of e-mails.”

    Oleg Nikolaenko vandalizes, at the very least, thousands PC,s costing their owners millions to remove his handy work and to purchase software to protect their computers. Then I, your O’ Uncle Sambo, slap Oleg Nikolaenko in the wrist, by giving him no than a “maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.”

    What a great country! You know best thing about it is? The owners of those infected machines receive jack squat for their trouble. No compensation or restitution whatsoever.

    Oleg Nikolaenko makes millions spamming and vandalizing other peoples’ computers. I collect millions, in taxes, by providing a protection racket to his victims and I provide them with not even a semblance of justice in return.

    Not only do I make millions off the suckers, I mean victims; I get to pocket an extra $250,000 from Oleg Nikolaenko as well.

    Uncle Sambo and are America great? So great that we are worth dying for!

    Report Post »  
  • heavyduty
    Posted on December 3, 2010 at 8:21am

    I would think that if you gave them 10 years in prison and forfeit at least 50% of their earnings. Then this would be more of deterrent than just spanking them on their hand. This is the very reason why the government wants the FCC to regulate the internet.

    Report Post »  
  • capitalismrocks
    Posted on December 3, 2010 at 8:18am

    Good!!! This type of guy is a blight on the entire world, we are all tired of spam and this type – hijacking our computers to become email spam zombie’s…

    He likes spam, find him guilty, string him up by his privates and cut them off and serve them to him on a plate, there’s your spam!

    Report Post » capitalismrocks  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on December 3, 2010 at 8:05am

    Wonder if he knows that hot Russian spy chic? She has vays of making me talk.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
  • SND97
    Posted on December 3, 2010 at 8:04am

    While in Jail make him read 1 Million SPAM EMAILS a DAY!!!!!!! And make him eat Spam daily

    Report Post »  
  • enduro
    Posted on December 3, 2010 at 8:03am

    As a former computer store owner, I will say that Oleg Nikolaenko has created more jobs over the last several years than President Obama. The virus infected computers he created were a cash cow in the computer business. lol…..

    Report Post » enduro  
    • snowleopard3200 {mix art}
      Posted on December 3, 2010 at 8:15am

      Interesting point, never considered that aspect of the economy. Need is found and people build an industry to supply stuff for the need; excellent.

      Thank you.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • Conserving Ink
    Posted on December 3, 2010 at 7:57am

    Now that he’s shut down, can you imagine the load taken off the internet infrastructure?
    _____________________________________________________________________
    http://conserving-ink.blogspot.com/2010/12/government-we-didnt-elect.html

    Report Post » Conserving Ink  
  • rebel
    Posted on December 3, 2010 at 7:52am

    His sentence should be sitting in a jail cell spamming visitors to wikileaks 24/7

    Report Post » quiet little lamb  
  • GIDDIONKANE
    Posted on December 3, 2010 at 7:38am

    string him up by his …… well you get the idea i hate spammers, grrr

    Report Post » GIDDIONKANE  
    • snowleopard3200 {mix art}
      Posted on December 3, 2010 at 7:52am

      Two questions I wish to comprehend if possible. Going on the basis, hypothetical at this time, of a conviction in the courts; does the fines and/or jail time above count PER charge he faces? And how many charge(s) does he face?

      For some reason I can find no concrete info on the case. Most likely just looking in the wrong areas or sights.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Reagan/Demint.deciple
      Posted on December 3, 2010 at 8:12am

      I’m not a computer wiz by any means but can I ask , what does anyone get out of spaming ?? I just don’t get it..

      Report Post » one years food ration like glenn says  
    • enduro
      Posted on December 3, 2010 at 8:26am

      Reagan/Demint.deciple

      Its always about money. They want you to see there sponser and click on there links as they get paid for clicks etc. Sometimes it’s just for fun but 99% of the time, a monetary reward is involved.

      Report Post » enduro  
    • ->Click For Brain Enema<-
      Posted on December 3, 2010 at 9:53am

      How hard is it to ignore or block spam? What about all those poor companies that you can pay to filter you mail?

      Report Post » -&gt;How To Work From Home Site&lt;-  

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