How Russian Hackers Stole Millions from U.S. Investors — Putin's Trader | Full Documentary

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Published 2024-08-01

He was young, rich and on the rise in Moscow. But when up-and-coming Russian oligarch Vladislav Klyushin boarded a private jet for a luxury ski vacation in the Swiss Alps, he had no idea that all of it was about to come crashing down. Klyushin was the owner of a cybersecurity company in Moscow called M-13, but the firm was secretly a front for a computer hacking and insider trading operation that plagued Wall Street for years, and generated more than $90 million in illicit profits for Klyushin’s criminal gang. Now, with exclusive access to the FBI investigators and Department of Justice prosecutors who chased Klysuhin around the globe, CNBC’s Eamon Javers can reveal the shocking details of the spectacular rise and fall of this audacious criminal enterprise. We learn about their insider trading in stocks of American companies including Tesla and other high-tech firms, and we see the crooks’ own text messages, which give a revealing look at the bromance between the oligarch and a veteran Russian intelligence hacker at the center of the crime ring. And in an exclusive interview, Javers sits down with a former Russian spy — an officer of the Russian FSB intelligence agency — who explains why all of this, and more, was so important to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

And in a turn of events, the White House just announced a massive, multinational prisoner swap between the U.S., Russia and other nations. As part of the historic deal, the Russian government released high-profile Americans held in captivity there, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who had been in a Russian prison for more than a year.

Also included in the trade were a number of Russians who had been arrested for various crimes and held in prisons in the U.S. and other countries. Klyushin was one of the prisoners released. Watch “Putin’s Trader” for the full story.

It took our investigative team countless hours to unravel the mysteries of “Putin’s Trader”—chasing down sources, going deep into a criminal web spun by those at the highest levels of global power. Join CNBC’s Eamon Javers in every step of this gripping journey by following and listening to the limited podcast series “The Crimes of Putin’s Trader”. It’s the expanded universe of this real-life thriller, featuring exclusive spy interviews and behind-the-scenes reporting. You can find “The Crimes of Putin’s Trader” podcast wherever you get your podcasts or click here and be the first to get notified about new episodes: cnbc.com/putinstrader

Chapters:
2:03 The case agents
7:00 The Moscow connection
12:07 A bromance
17:58 ‘We suck’
24:19 ‘$420. Funding secured’
32:49 The defector

Reported by: Eamon Javers
Supervising Producer: Jeniece Pettitt
Edited by: Erin Black
Produced by: Paige Tortorelli, Bria Cousins
Shot by: Shawn Baldwin, Erin Black, Magdalena Petrova, Carlos Waters, Tasia Jensen, Lukas Linder
Animations: Christina Locopo, Jason Reginato
Senior Production Manager: Kathy Mavrikakis
Executive Producer: Kamelia Angelova
Voice Actors: Filip Quintus, Oleg Frish

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Putin’s Trader — How Russian Hackers Stole Millions from U.S. Investors | CNBC Documentary

All Comments (21)

@CNBC 6 days ago

Join CNBC’s Eamon Javers in every step of this gripping journey by following and listening to the limited podcast series “The Crimes of Putin’s Trader”. It’s the expanded universe of this real-life thriller, featuring exclusive spy interviews and behind-the-scenes reporting. Click here to be the first to get notified about new episodes: cnbc.com/putinstrader
@darensavy5014 4 days ago

This is hilarious,, how do American Politicians become muti multi millionaires? Exactly 💯
@chubulu9842 5 days ago

Who needs Russian inside traders when US congressmen & women do it on daily basis
@yapsiauwsoengie6507 2 days ago

If they come from Russia they are oligarchs, if from US or UK they are billionaires 😊
@madoxxxx06 3 days ago

Its amazing how all wealthy Russians are called oligarchs, yet no Wealthy Western wealthy person is called that.
@henrycrews9344 3 days ago

For every 1 Russian hacker there are 10 US traders doing the same thing, not to mention the politicians.
@NoWarFools 4 days ago

In one country you are a bad oligarch in another a celebrated capitalist. Well well
@luffebassen 2 days ago

If its a rainy day, then its Putins fault.
@Unterwelten 2 days ago

How American Oligarchs steal Trillions from average Americans might be an interesting show.
@F.C.77 3 days ago

When I heard "“To protect the integrity of American financial market” I stopped watching. No time to waste in propaganda or financial comedians.
@stepphun 5 days ago

Dont act like mother theresa.... US companies are doing the same.
@glairliquid5103 3 days ago

Are you looking for: How America did the same but worse yet play victim.
@malsana1 2 days ago

You could make a video 'How Europe stole billions from Russian oligarchs'
@ivarkreuger6140 6 days ago

Perhaps they should start investigating the insider trading of Congress that is happening right in front of them.
@dannyboy2180 4 days ago

Did that FBI Agent look at Nancy Pelosi's trades?
@clifftanch 3 days ago

There is a glaring gap in the story: You did not report the names of the two filing companies that were compromised.
@alexlalov7152 2 days ago

You see where I can't take this seriously is them choosing a thick Russian accent for the translated voice-over of that spy. I mean come on.
@anthonypan205 5 days ago

This documentary basically just affirmed that the US stock market is a zero sum casino owned and operated by the US federal government
@baojie1263 6 days ago

“To protect the integrity of American financial market”😂😂😂
@TommyDavidVerbal 2 days ago

Russian hacker is also known as the US Government