⏱ 2 min read
A former ransomware negotiator from Land O’Lakes, Florida, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to deploy ransomware and extort US companies in 2023. Angelo Martino, 41, worked for a US-based cyber incident response company.
Martino abused his role to assist BlackCat ransomware actors, providing them with confidential information about his clients without their knowledge or permission. This allowed the attackers to maximize ransoms from five different victims.
The BlackCat actors paid Martino for this inside information, and he conspired with two others to deploy the ransomware against multiple US victims, extorting one for approximately $1.2 million in Bitcoin.
Law enforcement has seized $10 million in assets from Martino, including digital currency, vehicles, a food truck, and a luxury fishing boat.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Cybercrime
- Defendant: Florida
- Location: US
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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