World's 'Sexiest Computer Hacker' Appears in Court

Charged With $3m computer Scam

By Tom Leonard

Staring alluringly into the camera with dazzling blue eyes and a rather daring outfit is the Russian student accused of a plot to defraud British and U.S. banks of millions.

Kristina Svechinskaya, 21, has been dubbed the ‘world’s sexiest computer hacker’ after being charged with being part of a gang aiming to steal $220million (£139million).

In leather boots and skin-tight jeans, she wept during her court appearance. Today, she is due in court again, charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and false use of passports.

World's sexiest computer hacker: Kristina Svechinskaya is accused of using the Zeus Trojan software to attack thousands of people's accounts

If convicted, she could be jailed for up to 40 years.

In total, 37 people have been accused in New York over an East European-based plan to use an Internet virus to siphon money from the online accounts of small businesses and individuals.

Femme fatale: The hacker has been compared to Anna Chapman, a Russian spy

Svechinskaya was one of four students at New York University said to have acted as ‘money mules’ by opening hundreds of accounts.

Prosecutors claim she opened at least five bank accounts, which received $35,000 (£22,000) of the stolen money.

British police are also investigating the fraud and arrested 11 Eastern Europeans in Essex last month.

They have been charged with fraud and money-laundering offences over bank thefts amounting to £6million.

The FBI said some of the hundreds of bank accounts drained by the alleged fraudsters were held with London-based HSBC.

More suspects have been arrested in the Ukraine, leading federal

officers to describe the case as ‘one of the largest cyber criminal cases’ they have dealt with.

The Eastern European gang made £2million a month from online accounts by stealing victims’ log-in details using ‘Trojan horse’ software which can be bought for just £300 over the internet. According to the FBI, the ring managed to rake in around $70million (£40million) of the huge amount it targeted.