E-Root Admin Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Selling 350,000 Credentials

Tampa, FL – In a significant crackdown on cybercrime, Sandu Boris Diaconu, a 31-year-old Moldovan national, has been sentenced to 42 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges related to operating a network of illicit websites. U.S.

Senior District Judge James Moody, Jr. handed down the sentence following Diaconu’s admission of guilt on December 1, 2023, for his involvement in a sophisticated digital fraud operation.

The E-Root Marketplace, as the network was known, became infamous for selling compromised computer credentials, allowing buyers to gain unauthorized access to computers and servers worldwide, including systems owned by individuals and companies within the United States.

The marketplace was designed to be a covert operation, employing a distributed network structure to conceal the identities of its administrators, buyers, and sellers.

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Diaconu’s role in the criminal enterprise included developing, publishing online, and collaborating with accomplices to manage the E-Root Marketplace.

The platform facilitated the sale of access to compromised computers, effectively enabling a range of cybercrimes.

The charges brought against Diaconu included conspiracy to commit access device and computer fraud and possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices.

His guilty plea and subsequent sentencing mark a victory for U.S. authorities in their ongoing efforts to combat international cybercrime.

The case against Diaconu resulted from a concerted effort by law enforcement agencies to dismantle operations that threatened the digital security of individuals and businesses.

The sentence serves as a reminder of the serious consequences facing those who engage in the illicit trade of stolen digital information and the commitment of the justice system to uphold cybersecurity.

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