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US authorities arrested a resident of Chechnya, 20-year-old Ruslan Astyrov. Russian citizen Ruslan Magomedovich Astamrov was arrested in Arizona and charged by the US Department of Justice with the alleged placement of the LockBit ransomware program on victim networks in the United States and abroad. A press release from the Department of Justice says that Astamrov controlled many email addresses, IP addresses, and online accountants that he and his accomplices used to manage LockBit and organize extortion. As part of the investigation, it was possible to track the transfer of part of the ransom to a bank account registered in the name of Astyrov.
According to the criminal case, a 20-year-old suspect from the Chechen Republic was allegedly involved in attacks by the LockBit ransomware program from August 2020 to March 2023.
« Astamrov allegedly conspired with other members of the LockBit ransomware campaign to commit electronic fraud and intentionally damage secure computers, as well as ransom requirements through the use and deployment of ransomware », — said the US Department of Justice .
Astamrov was charged under two counts: organizing a conspiracy to fraud through electronic communications and organizing a conspiracy to intentionally damage computer systems and demand a ransom. If pleaded guilty on the first charge, he faces up to 20 years in prison, on the second — up to five years.
In November 2022, the Department of Justice promulgated criminal charges against Mikhail Vasiliev, who is now in custody in Canada and is awaiting extradition to the United States.
In May 2023, Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev ( also known as Wazawaka, m1x, Boriselcin and Uhodiransomwar ) was also charged with alleged involvement in the deployment of LockBit ransomware programs, Babuk and Hive in attacks on organizations in the United States and beyond.
US and international cybersecurity agencies also reported in a joint newsletter published on Wednesday that a Lockbit ransomware gang extorted about $ 91 million from American organizations, who have been victims of approximately 1,700 attacks since 2020.
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According to the criminal case, a 20-year-old suspect from the Chechen Republic was allegedly involved in attacks by the LockBit ransomware program from August 2020 to March 2023.
« Astamrov allegedly conspired with other members of the LockBit ransomware campaign to commit electronic fraud and intentionally damage secure computers, as well as ransom requirements through the use and deployment of ransomware », — said the US Department of Justice .
Astamrov was charged under two counts: organizing a conspiracy to fraud through electronic communications and organizing a conspiracy to intentionally damage computer systems and demand a ransom. If pleaded guilty on the first charge, he faces up to 20 years in prison, on the second — up to five years.
In November 2022, the Department of Justice promulgated criminal charges against Mikhail Vasiliev, who is now in custody in Canada and is awaiting extradition to the United States.
In May 2023, Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev ( also known as Wazawaka, m1x, Boriselcin and Uhodiransomwar ) was also charged with alleged involvement in the deployment of LockBit ransomware programs, Babuk and Hive in attacks on organizations in the United States and beyond.
US and international cybersecurity agencies also reported in a joint newsletter published on Wednesday that a Lockbit ransomware gang extorted about $ 91 million from American organizations, who have been victims of approximately 1,700 attacks since 2020.
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