Thread: Immigration status in question after man admits extortion bi

Immigration status in question after man admits extortion bid
Old Bridge resident sent threats to N.Y. firm
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
BY JOE RYAN
Star-Ledger Staff

Last November, Viktor Savtyrev joined millions of other out-of-work Americans when he was laid off from a Manhattan investment firm. Then the 29-year-old computer technician from Old Bridge distinguished himself from the unemployed masses.

He fired off an e-mail to his former employer, vowing to enlist cyber-criminals from Belarus to cripple the firm's computer network if officials didn't sweeten his severance package. Authorities said he wanted more money, better medical coverage and "excellent references."

"My comrades for a small fee are able to help me out with bridging the firewall security and carry out data destruction and virus outbreak," Savtyrev wrote, according to court documents.

He was promptly arrested. And yesterday, Savtyrev admitted his transgressions in federal court in Newark, pleading guilty to attempted extortion, according to the office of acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra.

His lawyer, Robert G. Stahl, said Savtyrev had neither the intention nor capability to execute the attack. The attorney said the pressure of supporting two young children without a job drove Savtyrev to a rash decision.

"It was an unfortunate situation," Stahl said.

Savtyrev, who remains free on $200,000 bail, faces a maximum five years imprisonment and $250,000 fine under federal sentence guidelines, which are advisory, according to assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Kosto, who prosecuted the case along with Erez Liebermann.

Savtyrev moved from Russia to the United States about nine years ago and is a permanent legal resident, according to his lawyer. Authorities said the guilty plea could jeopardize Savtyrev's immigration status, Kosto said.

His former employer, Third Avenue Management, oversees mutual funds with more than $15 billion in assets. Savtyrev worked there for five years as a systems administrator, according to an initial complaint signed by FBI agent Gerald Cotellesse.

A spokeswoman for the company declined to comment yesterday.

Savtyrev was among roughly 14 people laid off from Third Avenue Management on Nov. 5, authorities said.

His e-mail threats and severance demands came the following day. He also vowed to alert several media organizations of the computer breach, hoping to embarrass the company, authorities said.

"All of them should be very interested in getting an article about a mutual fund (losing) data because some 'Crazy Russian' ... was fired after five years of loyal service," he wrote, according to authorities.

Company officials contacted authorities, who suggested they telephone Savtyrev and allow investigators to eavesdrop. During the conversation, Savtyrev repeated his demands and threats about his "comrades from Belarus," authorities said.

Belarus, a former member of the Soviet Union, borders Poland, Russia and Ukraine. It is among a handful of Eastern European nations from which cyber-criminals have launched attacks against American companies in recent years, according to authorities.

Savtyrev was arrested several days later. U.S. District Judge Joseph A. Greenaway scheduled sentencing for Aug. 24.

"We have prosecuted several cases of disgruntled, rogue ex-employees at financial firms and other companies," Marra said. "As in this case and others, the companies stepped up and did not bow to the threat and immediately contacted authorities, which we and the FBI continue to encourage."


Joe Ryan may be reached at jryan@starledger.com or (973) 622-3405.

His COMRADES? In America we call them co-workers, idiot. Just wonder what tech this "crazy Russian" has stolen. And after the Soviet Union broke up, the Communist party has been trying to bring the old order back.