Ukrainian extradited to US over Conti ransomware involvement

Ukrainian Oleksii Lytvynenko, 43, was extradited from Ireland to the United States and appeared in a US court on charges related to Conti ransomware after fleeing Ukraine in 2022. Court documents allege that from in or around 2020 until about June 2022 he conspired with others to deploy Conti ransomware to extort victims and steal their data, and that he managed stolen Conti victim data and ransom notes.

The Department of Justice says the conspiracy involved extorting hundreds of millions in ransomware payments, with the defendant allegedly part of a scheme that defrauded victims in almost every US state and from more than two dozen countries; the DOJ press release cites alleged involvement in extorting about $150 million.

The FBI’s statement indicates Lytvynenko conspired to deploy Conti ransomware globally, and extradition underscores US–Ireland cooperation; he faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of computer and wire fraud conspiracy. According to DoJ, the case is being handled by DOJ prosecutors with the FBI and U.S. Secret Service investigating alongside.