Former DigitalMint Employee Sentenced to 70 Months for BlackCat Attacks
Summary
Angelo Martino was sentenced to 70 months in prison for his role in BlackCat ransomware attacks. Prosecutors said he shared victims’ insurance and negotiation details with the group and helped maximize extortion demands.
Key points
- Angelo Martino pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 70 months in prison for his role in BlackCat (ALPHV) ransomware attacks.
- Prosecutors said Martino shared victims’ insurance limits and negotiation positions with BlackCat operators while working as a ransomware negotiator.
- Martino and two former Sygnia and DigitalMint negotiators demanded ransoms and threatened to leak stolen data before encrypting victims’ systems, according to court documents.
- The three were BlackCat affiliates and paid the group’s administrators 20% of ransom proceeds for access to its ransomware and extortion portal.
- Victims included U.S. financial firms, a nonprofit, school districts, medical facilities, and law firms; the article says one financial firm paid $25.66 million and a nonprofit paid $26.793 million.
- The article says the two other former negotiators, Kevin Tyler Martin and Ryan Clifford Goldberg, each received four-year prison sentences.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Criminal sentencing of a former ransomware negotiator for participating in BlackCat ransomware attacks.
- Impact
- Angelo Martino was sentenced to 70 months in prison. Prosecutors said he shared victims’ insurance limits and negotiation positions with BlackCat operators, helping maximize extortion demands. The attackers threatened to leak stolen data and encrypted victims’ systems. Victims included at least five U.S. organizations; one financial services firm paid $25,660,000 and a nonprofit paid $26,793,000.
People
Threat Actors
ALPHVNamed in the article as an alternate name for BlackCat, the ransomware group whose affiliates carried out attacks against U.S. organizations.Angelo MartinoPleaded guilty to a role in BlackCat attacks and was sentenced to 70 months in prison. Prosecutors said he shared victims’ insurance policy limits and negotiation positions with BlackCat operators.BlackCatThe ransomware group whose affiliates, according to prosecutors, carried out attacks, demanded ransom, threatened to leak stolen data, and encrypted victims’ systems. The FBI linked the group to more than 60 breaches between November 2021 and March 2022.Kevin Tyler MartinPleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct commerce by extortion and was sentenced to four years in prison. The article identifies him as a BlackCat affiliate who participated in ransomware attacks.Ryan Clifford GoldbergPleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct commerce by extortion and was sentenced to four years in prison. The article identifies him as a BlackCat affiliate who participated in ransomware attacks.