In the Rostov region, Russian police apprehended a resident of Taganrog. He is suspected of owning and managing LeakBase, a prominent online platform where cybercriminals traded in stolen information and hacking tools.

According to TASS, Irina Volk, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson, stated that the suspect, whose name was not released, is also accused of creating the LeakBase hacking site. This information was reported.

LeakBase appeared in 2021, supported by the ARES threat group. Following the closure of the Breached hacking forum in March 2023, its user base grew to over 142,000 members.

The forum was free to join and allowed members to trade stolen databases, data leaks, exploits, and various cybercrime-related services. It also featured sections for programming, hacking advice, social engineering, cryptography, and operational security tutorials.

In March 2026, the FBI and law enforcement agencies in 14 other nations shut down the LeakBase cybercrime forum in an international operation organized by Europol, called “Operation Leak.”

Investigators also executed search warrants, conducted interviews, and made arrests in the United States, Australia, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

The LeakBase website (leakbase[.]la) currently displays a message stating, “This website has been seized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as part of an international law enforcement operation.” The seizure notice also indicates that the forum’s database and its content, including private messages and IP logs, will be used as evidence in future investigations.

Europol stated, “On 3 March, law enforcement executed coordinated actions across multiple countries, including arrests, home searches, and discussions with individuals. Approximately 100 actions were conducted globally, including actions against 37 of the most active users of the platforms.”

“On 4 March, authorities took action to technically disrupt the forum, seizing its domain and replacing it with a law enforcement notification page. The operation is now in a prevention phase, which aims to discourage further criminal activity and promote awareness of the consequences of participating in cybercrime.”

LeakBase was closed after law enforcement agencies shut down RaidForums in 2022 and BreachForums in 2023, which were also significant cybercrime marketplaces prior to LeakBase.