MAKSIM Silnikau, a 40-year-old Belarusian, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison in the US for his role as the creator and administrator of the Ransom Cartel ransomware. Between 2021 and 2023, the cartel targeted at least 18 organizations, stealing data and demanding payments for decryption keys. Silnikau managed the operation through a hidden website and recruited conspirators via cybercrime forums. He was also involved in distributing malware through malvertising from 2013 to 2022.
Silnikau was arrested in Spain in 2023 and extradited to the US, where he was sentenced for multiple charges including wire fraud and identity theft.