The parents of a 22-year-old Ancaster, Ont. man charged in connection with a massive cybersecurity breach at Yahoo are speaking out in defence of their son.
Akhmet and Dinara Tokbergenov say that their son, Karim Baratov, wasn’t a hacker. Instead, they say, he created websites in a “legitimate business” that paid for the lavish lifestyle he frequently boasted about on social media.
“He was running his official business. He paid income taxes. I know that as a fact,” his father told CTV Toronto on Monday.
Baratov was arrested at his Ancaster home three weeks ago, at the request of American authorities who indicted him and three others in connection with the data breach that saw information leaked from 500 million Yahoo user accounts in 2014.
The U.S. Department of Justice said Baratov and three Russian men face charges including computer hacking and economic espionage. If Baratov is successfully extradited to the U.S. and convicted, he could face as many as 29.5 years in prison.
U.S. authorities allege that Baratov advertised himself as a “hacker-for-hire” online and that the Russian Federal Security Service hired him. Both of his parents, however, maintain that they have never heard of the website allegedly connected to their son’s hacking services.
“He told me he didn’t know those three men from Russia,” Baratov’s mother said. “His eyes were wide. He said, ‘Mom I don’t know them. I don’t know those three people who are implicated.’”
Baratov’s mother described him as a “scapegoat” in the case. His father said he knows his son will be proven innocent in court.
“He’s not the right person, trust me,” Akhmet said.
The young man’s parents said they’re talking publicly about their son because they were unhappy with how he was portrayed in the media after his arrest.
Akhmet said the photos of Baratov showcasing his flashy cars and expensive home on his now-deleted social media accounts are not an accurate depiction of his son’s character.
“Those cars have a huge loan (on them) and that house has a huge mortgage,” his father explained.
“He’s quiet. He’s polite,” his mother added. “That portrayal is over-exaggerated. It’s hype by the media. That’s all wrong. It’s just not him.”
‘Worst day of my life’
Baratov’s father said he witnessed his son’s arrest firsthand. Akhmet said he drove over to his son’s home to shovel snow from his driveway as a surprise. When he pulled up to the house, he saw police cars swarming the street.
“They didn’t allow me to come or to approach. I was sitting in my car and then I saw Karim was removed from the house in cuffs. That was the worst day of my life,” he said. “Sometimes in the morning I don't want to wake up, to wake up and face the situation.”
Dinara called the news of her son’s arrest “heartbreaking” and described how it has taken its toll on them.
“We were shocked. We were depressed, we couldn’t eat or sleep, we couldn’t do anything,” she said. “Our life is destroyed.”
For now, Baratov is trying to “stay positive” while he waits in jail, according to his mother.
“He says he’s okay, that he likes the food and that he has friends in there,” she said. “But we’ve seen from his eyes that he’s very sad. Very upset.”
The young man’s parent’s said they will continue to stand by him throughout the legal process.
Baratov has a bail hearing scheduled for Wednesday. None of the allegations against him have been tested in court.
With files from CTV Toronto
