Ukrainian hacker pleads guilty to Conti ransomware role worldwide

Ukrainian Oleksii Lytvynenko pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court for his role in deploying the Conti ransomware, which inflicted significant damage globally from 2020 to 2022. The ransomware attacked over 1,000 networks across 47 U.S. states and 31 countries, leading to illicit payments exceeding $150 million. Lytvynenko was involved in coding a malware loader for the group. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for September 10, 2026. Law enforcement is pursuing other conspirators linked to the Conti group, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat cybercrime.