GoKawiilMaksim Silnikau, the creator and administrator of the Ransom Cartel ransomware operation, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for his role in ransomware attacks against at least 18 companies worldwide.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced today that the 40-year-old Belarusian national was sentenced for conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
The DOJ says Silnikau had been active on Russian-speaking cybercrime forums since at least 2005 and used the aliases "J.P. Morgan," "xxx," and "lansky."
He was also a member of the Direct Connection cybercrime website between 2011 and 2016, when the site was shut down following the arrest of its administrator.
According to court documents, Silnikau began developing the Ransom Cartel ransomware operation in May 2021 and recruited other cybercriminals through underground forums to participate in attacks.
He supplied members with information and tools used in the intrusions, including stolen credentials for compromised computers and software designed to encrypt victims' computers.
Silnikau also operated an affiliate website that allowed members of the ransomware operation to manage attacks, communicate with each other, negotiate ransom demands, and distribute revenue shares after a ransom was paid.
Between 2021 and 2023, Ransom Cartel affiliates attacked at least 18 companies worldwide, including organizations in California, New York, Nebraska, and countries outside the United States.
During the attacks, the threat actors stole corporate data and demanded payments in exchange for decryption keys or promises that the stolen information would not be publicly leaked.
Federal prosecutors said the ransomware operation attempted to extort at least $5.2 million from its victims.
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