Russian Man Pleads Guilty in Minnesota Computer Fraud Case

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- A Russian man has pleaded guilty in Minnesota in connection
with a global computer fraud case.

Forty-one-year-old Maxim Senakh, of Velikii Novgorod, Russia, pleaded guilty
Tuesday in federal court to conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse
Act and wire fraud.

Authorities say Senakh and his associates installed malware on tens of
thousands of computer servers worldwide to generate fraudulent payments for
themselves. Among other things, the malware was used in spam email schemes _
generating millions in revenue.

Senakh was indicted in 2015, arrested by Finnish authorities and extradited to
the U.S. to face charges.

Minneapolis FBI spokesman Craig Lisher says the case was handled in Minnesota
because the agency's cyber investigators were searching for threats and found
that Senakh was victimizing Minnesota citizens.