ANGELO Martino, a cybersecurity expert in Florida, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for aiding a ransomware gang while acting as a ransomware negotiator. He pleaded guilty in April and is among three individuals charged for such activities; the other two received four-year sentences. Martino supported BlackCat/Alphv ransomware operators by providing sensitive information about victims, leading to multiple extortion cases.
Authorities seized assets worth $10 million from him and are determining restitution amounts. BlackCat attacked over 1,000 organizations from 2021 to late 2023, collecting ransoms, including a $22 million payout.