Ukrainian man brought to US to face money laundering charges

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Ukrainian man has been extradited to the U.S. to face charges that he oversaw a scheme to launder money and defraud victims including a North Carolina company.

Aleksandr Musienko faces charges including wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering. He was arrested in South Korea and appeared Friday in court in Charlotte.

Prosecutors say he convinced people to help him with laundering transactions by offering jobs described as “financial assistants.” Authorities say these people were in reality making transactions of funds stolen by cybercriminals. Authorities say the operation laundered at least $2.8 million from 2009 to 2012.

Prosecutors say cybercriminals hacked into computers of a Hickory-based company, identified only as VDC, and stole nearly $200,000.

A lawyer representing Musienko didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.