A Russian ‘hacking genius’ accused of helping defraud $530 million out of Americans, enjoyed hiding out in Thailand and posing with exotic snakes, crocodiles and tigers before his arrest, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal.
Sergey Medvedev, 31, was arrested in Bangkok on February 2 by local authorities on an United States extradition demand.
The hacking supremo is at the heart of $530 million suspected scam, where he allegedly ran a ‘one-stop shop for cyber-criminals’, including selling hardware to compromise cash machines in many countries.
Medvedev is seen in photos with his Thai wife holding a python, and in another, posing with his pet Mexican Black King Snake, which he feeds live mice.
The snake-lover also flaunted his toned body and described himself as a ‘strongman wannabe’, as the Russian showed all the signs of enjoying his luxury tropical lifestyle.
Sergey Medvedev, 31, a Russian ‘hacking genius’ is accused of helping defraud $530 million out of Americans. Before his arrest on February 2, he enjoyed hiding out in Thailand and posing with exotic snakes, crocodiles and tigers (pictured)
Medvedev is seen in photos with his Thai wife – name unknown – holding a python (pictured)
The hacking supremo (pictured posing in front of a pit filled with crocodiles) is at the heart of $530 million suspected scam, where he allegedly ran a ‘one-stop shop for cyber-criminals’
Medvedev, 31, was arrested in Bangkok in early February (pictured) by local authorities on an United States extradition demand
Medvedev beams in a photo where he stands in front of a tank of crocodiles. He also calls himself a ‘competitive eater and food lover’.
The suspected cyber criminal king did not try to hide himself away in five years of regular visits to Thailand.
His pictures from social media are a stark contrast to images showing him handcuffed in Bangkok, as the U.S. demands for his extradition to face trial.
There are no clues in his picture collection about his alleged double life, except for one photo where Medvedev uses an ATM.
Medvedev is accused of running a ‘one-stop shop for cyber-criminals’, including selling hardware to compromise cash machines in many countries, and faces extradition to the US in around one month, Thai authorities said.
His operation caused astonishing half billion dollar losses for individuals and businesses who were compromised when their bank accounts, credit and debit cards were hacked, the US Justice Department said.
Originally from the Ural Mountains, he is also suspected of involvement in selling drugs and weapons, Russian news agency Sputnik said.
Thai authorities said their US colleagues had been tracking Medvedev and his associates for two years. Pictured: Medvedev being arrested on February 2 in Bangkok
There are few clues in his picture collection about his alleged double life, except for one photo where Medvedev uses an ATM (pictured)
Originally from the Ural Mountains, Medvedev (pictured) is suspected of involvement in selling drugs and weapons, Russian news agency Sputnik said
He possessed more than 100,000 bitcoins when he was detained on February 2, the Bangkok Post reported.
His ‘criminal group’ used the motto ‘In Fraud We Trust’, it is alleged.
The U.S. indictment described Medvedev as his criminal group’s co-founder along with Svyatoslav Bondarenko,
It is claimed he had operated a payment system for 11,000 members who gained access to business and private bank accounts and cards.
It is not immediately clear if he is suspected of collusion with the Russian authorities but members of his cyber criminal network were forbidden from stealing from people in his motherland, it is alleged.
Thai authorities said their U.S. colleagues had been tracking Medvedev and his associates for two years.
Police Major Nuthapong Rattanamongkolsak said:’Before the operation could be ready, they had to recheck their targets in various countries.’
The snake-lover also flaunted his toned body on social media and described himself as a ‘strongman wannabe’
It is not immediately clear if he is suspected of collusion with the Russian authorities but members of his cyber criminal network were forbidden from stealing from people in his motherland, it is alleged. Pictured: Medvedev with his wife
Pictured: Medvedev and his wife on their wedding day (undated)
He told journalists: ‘Medvedev is the head of a criminal organisation which has affected the global economy and public in general.
‘He concealed his identity in cyberspace and traded in illicit items using digital currency to avoid arrest.’
Medvedev made repeated trips to Thailand using tourist visas, it is claimed.
He had a hideout in a Bangkok condominium.
He had been travelling to Thailand since 2012, yet found time to graduate from Ural Federal University in 2014, it is claimed.
The U.S.-led crackdown, called Operation Shadow Web, on the dark-web organisation occurred simultaneously in 14 countries last week.
Accomplices were arrested in Australia, Britain, Italy, Ivory Coast, Kosovo and the U.S.
‘It is one of the biggest crackdowns on international criminal syndicates by the Justice Ministry [Department} of the U.S.,’ a Thai police source said.
Medvedev was one of the 36 individuals cited in an indictment for racketeering and their involvement with Infraud, which allegedly allowed its members to buy and sell credit card and other financial information.
Medvedev poses with his pet Mexican Black King Snake which he feeds live mice
Medvedev made repeated trips to Thailand using tourist visas and had a hideout in a Bangkok condominium. He had been travelling to Thailand since 2012, yet found time to graduate from Ural Federal University in 2014, it is claimed. Pictured: Medvedev’s snake cages
A police statement said officers were able to arrest Medvedev by performing stake-outs, behavioral analyses, and by investigating his online activity.
His operations led to drug-selling, rare illegal weapons and involved stolen credit card PINs, protected wild animals and illegally obtained government documents.
The Russian embassy in Bangkok has complained that they had not been informed officially about Medvedev’s detention.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has accused Washington of ‘hunting’ for Russian nationals in third countries.
Medvedev is now ‘detained at Bangkok Remand Prison waiting for U.S. authorities to take him for prosecution in the U.S.,’ Thai sources said.