U.S. authorities have charged two administrators of WWH-Club, a major Russian-language cybercrime forum.
Russian national Pavel Kublitskii and Kazakhstan native Alexandr Khodyrev, who allegedly managed the forum and others like Skynetzone, Opencard, and Center-Club, were arrested after seeking asylum in the United States in December 2022.
WWH-Club has been a significant hub for cybercriminal activities since its launch in 2012. The forum offers tutorials and tools for cybercriminals, particularly those involved in carding—using stolen credit card information for fraud. With over 353,000 registered users and 112,000 active users in just 72 hours as of March 2023, it’s a major player in the cybercrime world.
Despite the arrests, WWH-Club remains operational. The forum is now trying to distance itself from Kublitskii and Khodyrev, claiming they were only moderators and not administrators—a claim that contradicts the details in the criminal complaint. In response to the arrests, WWH-Club has deleted their accounts and is allowing members to change their screen names, possibly to evade further investigations.
One of the most concerning aspects of WWH-Club is its “education” program, which offers courses on how to commit card fraud. These six-week courses cost around USD 975 and include homework and exams. The forum also earns money through fees for commercial posts and advertisements, making it a profitable venture for its administrators.
The arrest of these two figures highlights the ongoing battle against cybercrime. While their capture is a win for law enforcement, the fact that WWH-Club is still running shows that the fight is far from over. Cybercrime continues to evolve, and so must the efforts to combat it.
