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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Aleksi Kolarov, a Bulgarian national accused of selling illicit goods and services through the Shadowcrew cybercrime forum, was extradited from Paraguay to the United States in June 2013. He had been arrested in Paraguay in 2011 and held there while extradition proceedings continued—not at large throughout the period described as “years on the run.” He later pleaded guilty to one conspiracy count and was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
Who was the Shadowcrew suspect extradited from Paraguay?
Kolarov was one of 19 people charged in a 2004 U.S. indictment alleging a conspiracy to operate Shadowcrew.com. The Department of Justice described the site as a marketplace for stolen payment-card numbers and identity documents. Prosecutors later characterized Kolarov as an alleged vendor who used the site to sell illicit merchandise and services.
At the time of the extradition announcement, prosecutors said Kolarov faced charges of conspiracy, transferring false identification documents, and offering access devices without authorization. Those were allegations, and the DOJ stated that he was presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The later case outcome was narrower: in February 2014, he pleaded guilty to Count One, conspiracy to commit identity theft and access-device fraud. That plea should not be treated as a separate finding that every allegation in the indictment was proven.
When was Kolarov arrested and extradited?
- 2004: A federal indictment charged 19 people in connection with the alleged Shadowcrew conspiracy.
- June 14, 2011: Paraguayan law enforcement arrested Kolarov at a hotel in Asunción. The DOJ said officers found hundreds of thousands of dollars in various currencies, counterfeit payment cards, and electronic card-re-encoding equipment. He remained in Paraguayan custody after the arrest.
- June 28, 2013: Kolarov arrived in the United States escorted by U.S. Marshals, according to the DOJ’s later sentencing announcement.
- July 1, 2013: The DOJ announced his extradition and said he was due to appear in federal court in Newark, New Jersey.
- February 2014: He pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to one conspiracy count.
- October 2014: Martini sentenced him to 30 months in prison.
“Years on the run” is a description used in contemporaneous coverage, but the official chronology is more precise: Kolarov was arrested in Paraguay in 2011 and held there until his extradition in 2013.
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What was Shadowcrew, and how large was it?
The DOJ described Shadowcrew as an online criminal marketplace with approximately 4,000 members at one time. Releases differ on the number of stolen card numbers associated with the case, so the figures should be kept distinct and attributed to the release that reported them.
| DOJ release | Reported scale | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| October 28, 2004 indictment announcement | At least 1.7 million stolen credit-card numbers; losses exceeding $4 million | The number and loss figure were allegations in the indictment announcement. |
| July 1, 2013 extradition announcement | At least 1.5 million stolen credit and bank-card numbers; more than $4 million in losses to issuing institutions | Figures reported by DOJ in its Kolarov case release. |
| February 2014 plea announcement | At least 1.5 million stolen credit and bank-card numbers; more than $4 million in losses | Figures reported by DOJ in its Kolarov case release. |
| October 2014 sentencing announcement | At least 1.5 million stolen credit and bank-card numbers; more than $4 million in losses | Figures reported by DOJ in its Kolarov case release. |
The releases do not establish a single independently audited total. The 2004 announcement refers to credit-card numbers, while the later Kolarov releases refer to credit and bank-card numbers; that difference in wording and scope is one reason not to merge the estimates.
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What did officials say about the extradition?
U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman presented the extradition as evidence of cross-border law-enforcement cooperation. In the DOJ’s July 2013 release, he said: “This extradition shows that hiding behind computers and borders does not deter us. It is vital that law enforcement work internationally to bring cybercriminals to justice, no matter how long it takes.” This was Fishman’s law-enforcement perspective on the case.
James Mottola, then special agent in charge of the U.S. Secret Service Newark Field Office, also praised the agency’s investigative work and its role in protecting financial infrastructure. His statement reflected the Secret Service’s position as an agency involved in the investigation.
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Sources
- U.S. Department of Justice, District of New Jersey: extradition announcement, July 1, 2013
- U.S. Department of Justice, District of New Jersey: guilty plea announcement, February 2014
- U.S. Department of Justice, District of New Jersey: sentencing announcement, October 2014
- U.S. Department of Justice: Shadowcrew indictment announcement, October 28, 2004
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