Yurii Nazarenko, the operator of the AI-driven website OnlyFake, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with identification documents. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced Nazarenko's plea on February 26, 2026. OnlyFake generated and sold more than 10,000 digital fake identification documents, including passports and driver's licenses from various countries.
Nazarenko, a Ukrainian national, operated the site between 2021 and 2024. Customers paid for the fake IDs using cryptocurrency, with prices starting at $15 per document. Bulk purchases were also offered, with packages containing up to 1,000 documents. The operation generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in illicit proceeds, and Nazarenko agreed to forfeit $1.2 million as part of his plea.
The fake identification documents produced by OnlyFake were designed to bypass Know Your Customer (KYC) verification processes used by financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges. This allowed individuals to conceal their true identities and engage in activities such as money laundering. Federal officials emphasized that identity systems are fundamental to public safety and national security, and the fraudulent documents created by Nazarenko's site posed a risk.
In addition to domestic criminal activity, the United Nations had information indicating that North Korean IT workers utilized the OnlyFake service. These workers allegedly used the fake IDs to apply for remote work opportunities with U.S. companies, funneling wages back to North Korea. The UN had requested information from OnlyFake regarding any North Korean users and the steps taken to prevent their use of the service.
Nazarenko faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for June 2026. The case is considered one of the first major U.S. criminal prosecutions involving large-scale digital identity fraud.