Accused ‘Raccoon’ Malware Developer Fled Ukraine After Russian Invasion

Condobloke

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A selfie pulled from Mark Sokolovsky’s iCloud account. Image: USDOJ.
 


For some perspective, to that person that seems like a fortune. In reality, that's not a whole lot of money - in any currency. The bottom looks like US currency and the top looks like Euros.

So, as angry as we get with these people, remember what a 'fortune' looks like to them.

What they did was wrong, but I can understand the motivation. I can relate to being hungry. What they have that they're showing off might be a few week's worth of vacation at a good resort.

I'm not really sure what I'm trying to say, except that I'm kinda saying the picture has the opposite effect on me than folks would expect. It makes me more sympathetic, not angry. Romania and the Ukraine are known for hackers, and this is why. It pays a lot more than turnip farming.

Sorry if the disheveled response above doesn't make much sense. I'm having a hard time articulating my thoughts - and it's NOT the wine! Well, okay, it could be the wine!
 
Maybe he is holding the 100 litre sack with the rest of the days take in his other hand...../ ,...!

Seriously...I know what you mean....the currency there is worth way less than in the usa or australia, uk etc etc.....so what he is holding is certainly not worth the risk...as he has just found out.
Also...he is not the brightest bulb in the room......as evidenced by the following....
, U.S. authorities zeroed in on an operational security mistake that the Raccoon developer made early on in his posts to the crime forums, connecting a Gmail account for a cybercrime forum identity used by the Raccoon developer (“Photix”) to an Apple iCloud account belonging to Sokolovsky. For example, the indictment includes a photo that investigators subpoenaed from Sokolovsky’s iCloud account that shows him posing with several stacks of bundled cash.

He may as well of phoned the powers that be and told them where to find him......."come get me boys...I'll keep the coffee hot"....
 
For as smart as some criminals are, it's a good thing they're also stupid.

To elaborate on my previous post...

The dude could have made a living farming turnip. That was certainly an option for them. (I'm using that in the generic sense. Call it 'working at a coffee shop' if you wish.)

This doesn't excuse his criminal behavior.

But, he lives in a society where criminal behavior gives them a standard of living they're otherwise be unable to enjoy. Again, the criminal activity is criminal, but I can relate.

I didn't grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth. Not even close...

I live in a society where it's easier to get a job than it is to make a living via criminal means. For all the cash they splash, even US drug dealers are mostly making less than minimum wage (unless you're near the top of the food chain).

The Dunkin' Donuts pays $13 to $15 an hour (USD, still not much but I'm gonna avoid politics). That's more than you're gonna make slinging dope, especially when you do the math including your jail time.

I'm kinda rambling at this point, but I'm gonna hope for the best! :cool:
 
They live in a country that promote these kinds of behaviors. Their system rewards dishonesty and corruption.
I really hope that letting them into our countries in western Europe will let them resocialize into the modern less corrupted and more honest society and not that they will go wild-westin' here...
 

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