Darkode Defendant Sentenced to Probation

PITTSBURGH - A resident of Tampa, Florida, has been sentenced in federal court to two years probation on his conviction of violating the CAN-SPAM ACT, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

Senior United States District Judge Maurice B. Cohill, Jr. imposed the sentence on Naveed Ahmed, 27. Ahmed is one of 12 individuals charged in connection with a significant computer hacking forum known as Darkode, which has been dismantled.

According to information presented to the court, Ahmed knowingly used a protected computer to relay or retransmit multiple commercial electronic mail messages with the intent to deceive or mislead recipients.

Assistant United States Attorney James T. Kitchen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Naveed Ahmed.