TWO American cybersecurity workers have been jailed for helping the BlackCat ransomware gang conduct attacks against multiple organisations in the US. Ryan Goldberg, 40, of Georgia, and Kevin Martin, 36, of Texas, were each sentenced to four years in prison for their roles in facilitating ransomware attacks during 2023, according to the US Department of Justice in a statement published on 30 April 2026.
The two men worked alongside Angelo Martino, 41, of Florida, who pleaded guilty to working for BlackCat on 20 April and is set to be sentenced in July. BlackCat, also known as ALPHV, first emerged in 2021 and was one of the most active and notorious ransomware groups between 2022 and 2024, with attackers demanding millions of dollars and often using double-extortion tactics and leaked data from victims who refused to pay.
Prosecutors condemned the men for using their cybersecurity skills to commit harm, noting they paid BlackCat administrators a 20% share of any ransom payments they received, with one case involving a Bitcoin ransom worth $1.2m. The FBI and justice officials emphasised the global reach of ransomware networks and the pursuit of those involved, including Goldberg’s alleged flight attempt across ten countries before capture.