Unnamed Victim, BlackCat and Unnamed Victim: Two US Security Experts Sentenced to Prison for Helping Ransomware Gang

Cybersecurity Professionals Sentenced for Ransomware Scheme

Three U.S.-based cybersecurity experts have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing for their roles in a ransomware extortion scheme. Ryan Goldberg (Georgia) and Kevin Martin (Texas) each received four-year prison terms after pleading guilty to conspiracy to obstruct interstate commerce by extortion. A third accomplice, Angelo Martino (Florida), recently pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on July 9.

The trio, who worked at cybersecurity firms including as ransomware negotiators shifted to criminal activity, deploying BlackCat (ALPHV) ransomware to target multiple organizations. They paid 20% of ransom payments to the ransomware group’s administrators while laundering their 80% cut, including $1.2 million from a single victim.

BlackCat ransomware, active from November 2021 to December 2023, compromised over 1,000 organizations before authorities disrupted the operation. Despite the takedown, the group later extorted $22 million from a victim and executed an exit scam. The U.S. government had offered a $10 million reward for information on key members, though no charges have been announced.

Source: https://www.securityweek.com/two-us-security-experts-sentenced-to-prison-for-helping-ransomware-gang/

Kaspersky cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/kaspersky

Black Cat Security cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/blackcat-security

"id": "KASBLA1777645750",
"linkid": "kaspersky, blackcat-security",
"type": "Ransomware",
"date": "11/2021",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "5",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the organization's existence"

{'affected_entities': [{'type': 'Multiple organizations'}],
 'data_breach': {'data_encryption': 'Yes (BlackCat ransomware encrypted data)'},
 'description': 'Three U.S.-based cybersecurity experts were sentenced or are '
                'awaiting sentencing for their roles in a ransomware extortion '
                'scheme involving the deployment of BlackCat (ALPHV) '
                'ransomware to target multiple organizations. They laundered '
                'ransom payments, taking an 80% cut while paying 20% to the '
                'ransomware group’s administrators.',
 'impact': {'financial_loss': '$23.2 million (including $1.2 million from a '
                              'single victim and $22 million from another)'},
 'investigation_status': 'Ongoing (no charges announced for key BlackCat '
                         'members)',
 'motivation': 'Financial gain',
 'ransomware': {'data_encryption': 'Yes',
                'ransom_paid': '$23.2 million (total across victims)',
                'ransomware_strain': 'BlackCat (ALPHV)'},
 'references': [{'source': 'U.S. Department of Justice'}],
 'regulatory_compliance': {'legal_actions': 'Conspiracy to obstruct interstate '
                                            'commerce by extortion (4-year '
                                            'prison sentences for two '
                                            'individuals, one pending '
                                            'sentencing)'},
 'response': {'law_enforcement_notified': 'Yes (U.S. authorities disrupted the '
                                          'operation)'},
 'threat_actor': ['Ryan Goldberg', 'Kevin Martin', 'Angelo Martino'],
 'title': 'Cybersecurity Professionals Sentenced for Ransomware Scheme',
 'type': 'Ransomware'}