According to ChainCatcher, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that two foreign nationals pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to participating in the Lockbit ransomware group. Russian citizen Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov and Mikhail Vasiliev, who holds dual Canadian and Russian citizenship, were identified as members.
The group has been active since January 2020 and has targeted more than 2,500 victims in 120 countries, demanding around $500 million in ransom. The victims include hospitals, educational institutions, and commercial enterprises.
Astamirov and Vasiliev used the Lockbit ransomware to encrypt and steal data, demanding ransoms and threatening to publish information. They were arrested in 2023 and 2022 and could face up to 25 and 45 years in prison, respectively.