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Cincinnati Ransomware Suspect Sentenced to 8.5 Years in Prison
A Latvian national has been sentenced to 102 months in prison for his role as a negotiator in one of the most notorious ransomware groups in the world, known as Karakurt, TommyLeaks, and SchoolBoys Ransomware.
Deniss Zolotarjovs, 35, was arrested overseas in December 2023 and transferred to the United States’ custody in August 2024. He pleaded guilty in July 2025 to conspiring to commit both money laundering and wire fraud.
Ransomware is a type of cybercrime that typically involves an intrusion into a victim’s network to steal and/or encrypt the victim’s data via malware, followed by an extortion demand seeking the payment of a ransom in cryptocurrency.
The attacks identified in this case included client records like Social Security numbers, addresses, dates of birth, home addresses, healthcare information, and the shutdown of a government entity’s 911 system.
“Ransomware groups disrupt victims’ lives, cruelly extracting money through psychological manipulation and fear. And they create lingering security issues,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio.
“Cybercriminals might think they are invulnerable by hiding behind anonymizing tools and complex cryptocurrency patterns while they attack American victims from non-extradition countries. But Zolotarjovs’s prosecution shows that federal law enforcement also has a global reach, and we will hold accountable bad actors like Zolotarjovs, who will now spend significant time in prison,” he added.
During Zolotarjovs’s involvement in the ransomware conspiracy from June 2021 through March 2023, the group had at least 53 victims and caused more than $56 million in actual losses. Victim companies and clients of victim companies were located in the Southern District of Ohio.
Zolotarjovs’s role was to analyze the data that was stolen and conduct or advise on ransom negotiations. He would receive 10 percent of the ransom payments he negotiated, paid in cryptocurrency, which was then moved through multiple wallets before the funds were ultimately exchanged for Russian rubles.
“Cybercriminals like Deniss Zolotarjovs may try to hide in the shadows, but the FBI will find them,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie.
This case demonstrates the relentless pursuit by our FBI special agents, working with partners across the globe, to hold this criminal accountable for the millions of dollars he extorted from U.S. organizations.
Defendant: Deniss Zolotarjovs
Criminal Charges: Conspiring to commit money laundering and wire fraud
City and State: Cincinnati, Ohio
Arrest Date: December 2023
Guilty Plea Date: July 2025
Sentence: 102 months in prison
Dollar Amounts: $56 million in actual losses
Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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