A federal court has accepted the guilty pleas of two men accused of committing healthcare ransomware attacks while working as cybersecurity professionals.
Ryan Clifford Goldberg and Kevin Tyler Martin pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida to one count each of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by extortion, according to court records obtained by Becker’s. Each man faces up to 20 years in prison and was ordered to forfeit over $324,000.
A judge approved the plea agreements Dec. 29 and set sentencing for March 12. The men originally faced two other counts each in connection with the hacking incidents.
The Justice Department alleged that Mr. Goldberg, Mr. Martin and an unnamed coconspirator targeted a California physician’s office and a Maryland-based pharmaceutical company, and extorted $1.27 million in virtual currency from a medical device firm headquartered in Florida.
They allegedly deployed the ALPHV BlackCat ransomware strain that has also been used in hacks of UnitedHealth Group claims processing subsidiary Change Healthcare — the largest healthcare cyberattack ever — and Allentown, Pa.-based Lehigh Valley Health Network.
