Security News > 2024 > August > US accuses man of being 'elite' ransomware pioneer they've hunted for years

Maksim Silnikau, 38, was recently extradited to the US from Poland and was formally indicted in both New Jersey and Virginia for crimes relating to malvertising and ransomware respectively.

The UK's National Crime Agency said in a concurrent announcement that it had been investigating Silnikau since 2015 and that it led the international operation that led to the man's arrest in Spain last year.

The second indictment relates to Silnikau's alleged role as a ransomware boss at the Ransom Cartel group, which spun up in 2021.

The NCA added to this, saying Silnikau was also responsible for the Reveton ransomware group, the one that pioneered the ransomware-as-a-service business model that almost every modern group still uses.

"In the District of New Jersey, Silnikau, Kadariya, and Tarasov are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit computer fraud, and two counts of substantive wire fraud," the DoJ said.

"In the Eastern District of Virginia, Silnikau is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit access device fraud, and two counts each of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison." .

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/08/13/j_p_morgan_suspect_indicted_charged/