Roman Seleznev was recently sentenced to 27 years in prison for hacking into both small businesses and large financial institutions. He had a surprising amount of 2.9 million credit card numbers on his laptop. The trial has gained international attention as the 32-year-old hacker is the son of a member of the Russian Parliament. Valery Seleznev, said his son was kidnapped and he is innocent. Russian authorities respond to the arrest and express it violated a 1999 treaty. The sentencing is simply too harsh as he may not survive that long in jail. Prosecutors support the sentencing and estate he is a cybercrime pioneer and revered credit card hacker who initiated online crime and helped this market grow. Contact a Los Angeles cybercrime attorney if you have been involved in computer-related crime.
The new York Times recently published a handwritten letter where Roman talks about his difficult upbringing. Seleznev was only 2 when his parents got divorced and 17 when his mother died from alcohol poisoning. In 2011 he was severely injured during a terrorist bombing in Morocco. It took him a while to recover causing his wife to divorce him while he was in a comma. Seleznev states in the letter that he wants to pay for everything he’s done wrong. He has offered to help the U.S. fight cybercrime and met with officials to discuss details about hacker activities. He gave the United States government six flash drives and four of his laptops for this purpose.
Seleznev’s lawyer, Igor Litvak, talks about his client being responsible and cooperating with authorities. He thinks the 27-year sentence is not reasonable. His client should not pay for the political issues between the United States and Russia. Roman Seleznev is not a political prisoner and should not be cataloged or treated as such. Litvak also says his client’s background and difficult upbringing should be considered. Seleznev still suffers from the injuries sustained in Morocco bombings.
Our firm has handled breaking high-end federal cases and we are fully equipped to handle yours. If you or a loved one has been suspected of a crime, contact a Los Angeles crime attorney today to talk about your case or to schedule your initial consultation. We can help you find your options to present your defense.
