Former DigitalMint Negotiator Sentenced for Colluding With BlackCat Affiliates
Summary
Angelo John Martino III was sentenced to 70 months after pleading guilty to conspiring with BlackCat affiliates and using confidential client information to help extort $75.3 million from five U.S. companies.
Key points
- Martino received a 70-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to an extortion conspiracy.
- Prosecutors said he shared clients’ negotiating positions and insurance limits with BlackCat affiliates to increase ransom demands and enrich himself and his co-conspirators.
- Five companies paid a combined $75.3 million in ransoms between April and September 2023.
- Martino also admitted conspiring with former DigitalMint negotiator Kevin Tyler Martin and former Sygnia incident-response manager Ryan Clifford Goldberg in attacks on five additional U.S. companies.
- The trio split proceeds from a nearly $1.3 million ransom paid by a medical company; the other four companies in that conspiracy did not pay.
- Authorities seized about $10 million in assets linked to Martino’s criminal proceeds.
- DigitalMint said it was unaware of his conduct and terminated him and suspended his system access after the Justice Department notified it of the investigation.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Sentencing of a former ransomware negotiator who pleaded guilty to conspiring with ransomware affiliates and betraying clients.
- Impact
- Angelo John Martino III received a 70-month prison sentence for sharing five U.S. companies’ confidential negotiating positions and insurance limits with BlackCat affiliates to increase ransom demands. The companies paid a reported total of $75.3 million. Authorities seized about $10 million in assets linked to Martino’s criminal proceeds.
MITRE ATT&CK
People
Threat Actors
ALPHVIdentified in the article as another name for BlackCat, whose affiliates colluded with Martino and whose ransomware he conspired to deploy.Angelo MartinoPleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced for colluding with BlackCat affiliates, sharing confidential victim information, and helping drive up ransom demands.BlackCatRansomware operation whose affiliates colluded with Martino; the article says Martino and his co-conspirators also conspired to deploy its ransomware. The source identifies ALPHV as another name for BlackCat.Kevin Tyler MartinA former DigitalMint ransomware negotiator who pleaded guilty to participating in ransomware attacks with Martino and Ryan Clifford Goldberg; the article says he was sentenced to four years in prison.Ryan GoldbergA former Sygnia incident response manager who pleaded guilty to participating in ransomware attacks with Martino and Kevin Tyler Martin; the article says he was sentenced to four years in prison.
Malware
Vendors
Countries
Industries
Financial ServicesApril 2023 and September 2023, include a nonprofit that paid a nearly $26.8 million ransom, a financial services company that paid nearly $25.7 million, and a hospitality company that paid almost $16.5 million.Hospitalitypaid a nearly $26.8 million ransom, a financial services company that paid nearly $25.7 million, and a hospitality company that paid almost $16.5 million.MedicalGoldberg, Martin and Martino split proceeds from a nearly $1.3 million ransom payment they received from a medical company in May 2023, but did not successfully extort a financial payment from the other four victims.Non-profitThe five victims, all of which paid a ransom between April 2023 and September 2023, include a nonprofit that paid a nearly $26.8 million ransom, a financial services company that paid nearly $25.7 million, and a