A Russian Cybercriminal Accused of Collaborating with the FBI

On February 4, 2025, the Russian media outlet Gazeta.ru published an investigation accusing Russian cybercriminal Piotr Levachov, alias “Severa,” who was extradited to the United States in 2018, of collaborating with the FBI. A key figure in Russian cybercrime during the 2010s, he notably created several large-scale botnets, including Kelihos. The United States suspected him of being involved in cyberattacks against its institutions during the 2016 elections.

Arrested in Spain in 2017, Piotr Levachov was extradited to the United States in 2018 and sentenced the same year to a relatively light prison term, as he was released as early as 2022.
“Severa” then returned to the well-known Russian-speaking cybercriminal forum XSS. The next day, a new user named “Bratva” registered. According to Gazeta.ru, this was Piotr Levachov himself, allegedly using this pseudonym to uncover the identities of other forum members.

The Russian media accuses the cybercriminal of attending over a hundred meetings with the FBI and receiving a monthly salary of $6,000 (€5,770) for working with the agency. He allegedly helped identify several former cybercriminal colleagues and participated in dismantling a Telegram channel dedicated to password theft. Piotr Levachov, who still describes himself as a “Russian patriot,” has denied these allegations.