### U.S. Authorities Seize Darknet Domains and Cryptocurrency Tied to Stolen Credit Card Marketplace

In a decisive strike against cybercrime, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced the seizure of approximately 145 internet domains and cryptocurrency funds linked to the illicit BidenCash marketplace. This online platform had specialized in facilitating the sale of stolen credit cards and associated personal information, operating since March 2022.

Throughout its operation, BidenCash accumulated over 117,000 customers and trafficked over 15 million payment card numbers, along with other personally identifiable information. The marketplace, which charged users a fee for each transaction, amassed over $17 million in revenue from its illegal activities.

To promote its services, BidenCash administrators released 3.3 million stolen credit card numbers for free between October 2022 and February 2023. The leaked data included essential details such as credit card numbers, expiration dates, CVV numbers, account holder names, addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers.

The seized domains, now under U.S. law enforcement control, will no longer be operational. This measure aims to prevent any future criminal activity associated with these sites. Additionally, cryptocurrency assets used by BidenCash to receive proceeds from illegal sales have also been confiscated, following court authorization.

The announcement was made by Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, alongside John Szydlik, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service's Frankfurt Resident Office, and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the U.S. Secret Service's Frankfurt Resident Office, Cyber Investigative Section, and the FBI Albuquerque Field Office.

Assistance in the probe was provided by the Dutch National High Tech Crime Unit, The Shadowserver Foundation, and Searchlight Cyber. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell.