Phobos ransomware leader facing 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to hacking charges

Evgenii Ptitsyn, identified as a principal developer and operator of the Phobos ransomware gang, pleaded guilty to wire fraud after being extradited to the U.S.; Phobos (and related 8Base) were used by affiliates to attack over 1,000 organizations worldwide, collecting an estimated $16 million and impacting sectors including education and healthcare. The report details Ptitsyn's role in marketing the ransomware, running the gang's darknet data site, specific victim ransoms (e.g., a California public school), and international law enforcement actions including arrests, deportations, and publication of a free decryptor.