Ransomware Hacker Pleads Guilty After $15M Bitcoin Extortion Scheme
The post Ransomware Hacker Pleads Guilty After $15M Bitcoin Extortion Scheme appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Key Takeaways Authorities said the cybercrime campaign collected roughly 1,610 bitcoin, with a Michigan company alone transferring 200 bitcoin after an attack. Meanwhile, the guilty plea requires more than $1.1 million in restitution, while sentencing could result in substantial prison time, fines, and supervision. Investigators from the FBI, the Justice Department, and Ukrainian authorities coordinated efforts, with sentencing expected after judicial review of the plea agreement. Ransomware Attacks Forced US Companies to Pay Bitcoin for Decryption Keys More than $15 million in bitcoin flowed from U.S. victims during a Ryuk ransomware campaign tied to Karen Serobovich Vardanyan, federal prosecutors alleged. The 34-year-old Armenian national, who was extradited from Ukraine, pleaded guilty July 8 to conspiracy and computer fraud after admitting his involvement in cyberattack