Blackshades owner gets nearly 5 years in prison after pleading guilty to computer hacking

The owner of a company that sold sophisticated malware that corrupted over a half-million computers in more than 100 countries has been sentenced in federal court in New York City to nearly five years in prison.

A judge Tuesday sentenced 25-year-old Alex Yucel to four years and nine months in prison. The owner of the malicious software, called Blackshades, also must forfeit $200,000.

Yucel pleaded guilty Feb. 18 to computer hacking.

Prosecutors say Blackshades was used to spy on computer users and steal personal files. They say Yucel sold and distributed malware to cybercriminals from 2010 to April 2014. They say the malware generated sales of over $350,000.

Yucel was arrested in Moldova in November 2013, becoming the first defendant to be extradited from that country to the U.S.