Particle.news
Download on the App Store
11 ARTICLES
·
last wk.

U.S. Unseals Indictment of Alleged Ransomware Administrator, Offers Up to $11 Million in Rewards

Prosecutors allege Volodymyr Tymoshchuk administered the LockerGoga, MegaCortex, Nefilim schemes that hit hundreds of companies worldwide.

A man receiving a ransomware attack on both his phone and laptop - a poor day for the stock image actor.
Image
Image
Image

Overview

  • Filed in the Eastern District of New York, the superseding indictment charges seven counts spanning computer fraud conspiracies, intentional damage to protected computers, unauthorized access, and a threat to disclose confidential information.
  • Authorities say the operations from 2018 to 2021 targeted more than 250 companies in the United States plus hundreds globally, causing losses described by prosecutors as in the millions and tens of millions of dollars.
  • Nefilim allegedly ran as a ransomware‑as‑a‑service program in 2020–2021, with Tymoshchuk providing access to affiliates, including co‑defendant Artem Stryzhak, in exchange for a 20% share of ransom proceeds; Stryzhak was extradited from Spain and awaits trial.
  • The State Department announced rewards totaling up to $11 million, including up to $10 million for information on Tymoshchuk and up to $1 million for other key leaders linked to the schemes.
  • Investigators credit international cooperation and prior defenses, noting that many attempted deployments were thwarted and that public decryptors for LockerGoga and MegaCortex were released via the No More Ransom project; Tymoshchuk remains a fugitive.