Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Conti Ransomware Suspect Extradited From Ireland to U.S., Makes First Court Appearance

Prosecutors accuse Oleksii Lytvynenko of roles in Conti’s extortion schemes targeting Tennessee victims.

Overview

  • An Garda Síochána arrested the 43-year-old Ukrainian in July 2023 at the U.S. request, and extradition proceedings concluded this month with his initial appearance in the Middle District of Tennessee.
  • He is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, carrying maximum penalties of five and twenty years if convicted.
  • Court filings allege he controlled stolen data from numerous victims and helped deploy ransom notes during Conti attacks between 2020 and June 2022.
  • Prosecutors say conspirators extracted more than $500,000 in cryptocurrency from two victims in the Tennessee district and published information stolen from a third.
  • Authorities attribute Conti to more than 1,000 victims worldwide and at least $150 million in ransom by January 2022, with the investigation led by multiple FBI field offices and the U.S. Secret Service.