People who know cryptography would not be participating. However I think this is deliberately made to look stupid (complete with over-the-top Russian sounding phraseology to imply these are those famous ex-KGB hackers) to attract irrational but wealthy entities -- probably governments and their spy agencies. They have large sums of money to play with.

I can see perhaps Iran in a desperate attempt to exact revenge for their centrifuge plant being hacked, throwing few hundred thousands at them, just on small chance this would yield something.