Recently, the authorities got a hold of over $24 million in cryptocurrency from a Russian man named Rustam Gallyamov, who was accused of being the Qakbot developer of the malware. The Department of Justice of the United States has made a significant move against global cybercrime and helping victims recover stolen funds. 

Key-Takeaways:

• The United States authorities have confiscated over $24 million crypto from Rustam Gallyamov
• Qakbot is a computer malware that has been active since 2008, it is used for cyber attacks.
• The Qakbot developer, Gallyamov, has been charged with computer fraud, wire fraud and for creating the said virus. 
• The authorities are still looking for Gallyamov, and this case serves as a reminder that cyber threats are growing. 

The Qakbot Operation

Qakbot, which is also known as QBot, is harmful computer malware that has been around since the year 2008. This virus mainly attacks banks and businesses, stealing data from them, spreading ransomware, and creating networks of infected computers. 700,000 computers globally have been infected by cyber scams and attacks, which are believed to have been done by a group led by Gallyamov, the developer of Qakbot. 

Law Enforcement Efforts With Other Countries

In August 2023. Authorities from countries beside the U.S, such as France, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, UK and Canada have worked together to bring down Qakbot’s network. But despite that, Gallyamov and his team were reported to do continuous acts of online threats. They used tricks such as spamming messages or known as spam bombs to break into people’s systems.

The Seizure Of 24M Cryptocurrency Assets

On May 22, 2025, 24 million in cryptocurrency assets had been taken over by the U.S Department of Justice that has connection with Gallyamov’s illegal actions through the usage of Qakbot. This also includes more than 30 bitcoins and over $700,000 US Dollars. The authorities have planned to give back the money to the victims.

Charges and Investigation for Qakbot Developer.

Rustam Gallyamov has been legally charged with cybercrimes such as computer fraud and wire fraud. He is believed to be the one who spread and developed the Qakbot virus that is being used in online attacks. Not only that, he also made money out of it by scamming victims. 

Unfortunately, he hasn’t been caught yet and up until now, the authorities are still looking for him. 

Qakbot’s Impact on Victims and Cybersecurity

Qakbot has caused big problems for many industries, such as healthcare, manufacturing, and real estate. It also affected both the small businesses and large companies globally. As of now, the goal of the Department of Justice is not only to stop hackers like Gallyamov and related cybercrimes, but also to help people and organizations who have been victims of these cyberattacks. 

Conclusion

The seizure of the $24 Million cryptocurrency from the Qakbot Developer, Rustam Gallyamov, can be called a big win in the battle against cybercrime. This shows how working across countries can bring major online threats to a stop and catch cybercriminals to bring justice to the victims of it. 

Digital danger, cybercrime, or cyberattacks are still rampant. Actions like this from the government can help protect systems and the people from such crimes and support the victims.