GoKawiilUkrainian ransomware affiliate sentenced to 70 months for Nefilim and Hive attacks
Artem Aleksandrovych Stryzhak, a 35-year-old Ukrainian national, was sentenced to 70 months in US prison for his role as an affiliate in the Nefilim and Hive ransomware operations, which hit hospitals, government bodies and large companies between 2018 and 2021. He was extradited from Spain in April 2025 after his arrest there in June 2024, and pleaded guilty to computer fraud conspiracy charges.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The FBI says the ransomware groups Stryzhak worked with caused more than $100 million in losses and disrupted patient care, underscoring the real-world harm of affiliate-based ransomware networks that let individuals rent access to custom malware. The case also illustrates growing international cooperation on extraditing cybercriminals, which the FBI's Brett Leatherman frames as evidence of its 'global reach' in pursuing ransomware operators who had previously evaded prosecution.
- Stryzhak received 70 months for working as an affiliate of both Nefilim and Hive ransomware operations.
- He took a 20% cut of ransom payments and later targeted companies earning over $200 million annually at an admin's direction.
- The case highlights cross-border law enforcement cooperation, following his extradition from Spain to the US in April 2025.
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Published there as: “Nefilim and Hive ransomware affiliate gets 70 months in prison”
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