A former ransomware negotiator has pleaded guilty to committing cyberattacks himself, including some involving healthcare.
Angelo Martino, 41, of Land O’Lakes, Fla., entered the plea to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by extortion, according to a April 20 U.S. Department of Justice news release.
He had been accused of providing information to hackers from Blackcat/ALPHV, aka BlackCat, in 2023 while working as a negotiator on behalf of the ransomware group’s victims. He also admitted to conspiring with Ryan Goldberg and Kevin Martin, who were also both employed in the cybersecurity industry, to deploy BlackCat ransomware against victims including a California physician’s office, a Maryland-based pharmaceutical company, and a medical device firm headquartered in Florida, the Justice Department said.
Law enforcement has seized $10 million in assets from Mr. Martino, including digital currency, vehicles, a food truck, and a luxury fishing boat, according to the release. He is scheduled to be sentenced July 9 and faces up to 20 years in prison.
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