SEATTLE (AP) - The Latest on the sentencing of a Russian man convicted of hacking into U.S. businesses to steal credit card data (all times local):
12:45 a.m.
After a federal judge sentenced a Russian man convicted of hacking into U.S. businesses to 27 years in prison — the longest sentence in U.S. history for a cybercrime case — Roman Seleznev’s lawyer read a statement from his client saying the sentence was a political prosecution.
Seleznev said in his statement “the decision by the United States government clearly demonstrates to the entire world that I’m a political prisoner.”
He said he was kidnapped by the U.S. while on vacation in the Maldives. “Now they want to send a message to the world and use me as a pawn.”
He said he understands the need for justice, but a 27-year sentence would be a death sentence, due to the serious medical problems he suffers after being caught in a terrorist bombing in 2011. Seleznev appealed to the Russian government to help him.
U.S. Attorney Annette Hayes responded to his claims by saying they were “troubling.” She says he told the judge he wanted to accept responsibility and then sent his lawyer out claiming the case was political.
Hayes says Seleznev was treated with due process “all along the way just as any U.S. citizen would have been.” She says this case was about holding a criminal accountable “and that’s what we’ve done.”
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10:45 a.m.
A Russian man convicted of hacking into U.S. businesses to steal credit card data has been sentenced to 27 years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $170 million in restitution.
Roman Seleznev was sentenced Friday in federal court in Seattle.
Seleznev, the son of a member of the Russian Parliament, was first indicted in 2011 on 29 felony charges and captured in 2014 in the Maldives.
The indictment grew to 40 counts and his trial was held in August. A jury found him guilty on 38 charges, including nine counts of hacking and 10 counts of wire fraud.
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12:27 a.m.
Federal prosecutors want the Russian man convicted of hacking into U.S. businesses to steal credit card data to be sentenced to 30 years in prison and ordered to pay $170 million in restitution.
But Roman Seleznev’s lawyers say his troubled history, poor health and willingness to help the government catch other cybercriminals should be considered when deciding his sentence.
Friday’s sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court in Seattle is expected to last several hours.
Seleznev, the son of a member of the Russian Parliament, was first indicted in 2011 on 29 felony charges and was captured in 2014 in the Maldives.
The indictment grew to 40 counts in October 2014 and his trial was held in August 2016. A jury found him guilty on 38 charges, including nine counts of hacking and 10 counts of wire fraud.
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