Hacking, when related to video games, is normally perceived as breaching a video game company’s database to access account names and passwords. The arrest of former owner of Moscow 5, Dmitry ‘ddd1ms’ Smilianets was on hacking charges, but it was not game accounts he is charged with being connected to the theft of.
Moscow 5 has been a highly recognizable name in eSports for quite some time. It has teams for Counter-Strike, Dota 2, and League of Legends. These are serious teams, as well. The League of Legends team, at least, had a custom summoner icon made for it during the end of last season by Riot Games so players could show their support. The former owner being accused of connection to this particular hacking scheme has already harmed Moscow 5, with the team abruptly being disbanded following his arrest this past July.
The global hacking scheme Smilianets has been connected to by the FBI is purportedly responsible for approximately 160 million stolen bank card numbers and hundreds of millions of dollars even aside from the cards themselves. It has been called the “largest hacking and data breach scheme ever prosecuted in the United States” by US attorney Paul Fishman.
The trial is scheduled to begin next week, and Smilianets’s lawyer has already warned everyone it is going to be a long trial.
