Former ransomware negotiator pleads guilty to aiding BlackCat attacks
Summary
Former DigitalMint negotiator Angelo Martino pleaded guilty to helping BlackCat target U.S. companies, sharing victims’ negotiation positions and insurance limits. Prosecutors say the scheme contributed to multimillion-dollar ransom payments.
Key points
- Angelo Martino, a former DigitalMint negotiator, pleaded guilty to participating in BlackCat (ALPHV) ransomware attacks against U.S. companies.
- According to court documents, Martino shared five victims’ confidential negotiation positions and insurance limits with BlackCat operators.
- Prosecutors say Martino and two other former negotiators acted as BlackCat affiliates, demanded ransoms, threatened data leaks and paid administrators a 20% share of proceeds.
- The article reports that a financial services firm paid $25.66 million and a nonprofit paid $26.793 million; other victims included law firms, school districts and medical facilities.
- DigitalMint said it fired the former employees after discovering their conduct.
- The article says co-defendants Ryan Goldberg and Kevin Martin also pleaded guilty.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Ransomware-affiliate extortion scheme involving former incident response negotiators who shared confidential victim negotiation and insurance information with BlackCat operators.
- Impact
- The scheme targeted at least five U.S. organizations, including financial services firms, law firms, school districts, and medical facilities. Victims faced threats to leak stolen data and system encryption; reported ransom payments included $25,660,000 from a financial services firm and $26,793,000 from a nonprofit.
MITRE ATT&CK
People
Threat Actors
ALPHVThe article uses ALPHV as another name for the BlackCat ransomware operation.Angelo MartinoA former DigitalMint negotiator who pleaded guilty to helping BlackCat operators target and extort U.S. companies by sharing victims’ negotiation positions and insurance limits; the article says he operated as a BlackCat affiliate.BlackCatRansomware operation whose affiliates extorted victims and paid its administrators a 20% share of ransom proceeds, according to the article.Kevin Tyler MartinA former ransomware negotiator identified as one of the three BlackCat affiliates who demanded ransoms and threatened to leak stolen data. The article reports that Martin pleaded guilty.Ryan GoldbergA former ransomware negotiator identified as one of the three BlackCat affiliates who demanded ransoms and threatened to leak stolen data. The article reports that Goldberg pleaded guilty.
Malware
Vendors
Countries
Industries
Financial ServicesVictims included a financial services firm that paid $25,660,000 and a nonprofit that paid $26,793,000, among law firms, school districts, and medical facilities.Non-profitVictims included a financial services firm that paid $25,660,000 and a nonprofit that paid $26,793,000, among law firms, school districts, and medical facilities.