Ransom Cartel creator sentenced to 16 years in prison

Ransom Cartel, a ransomware operation created and run by Belarusian national Maksim Silnikau, carried out attacks on at least 18 organizations between 2021 and 2023, attempting to extort about $5.2M and disrupting some victims for months; Silnikau provided stolen credentials, encryption mechanisms, and a control site for managing attacks and payouts. He fled Spain, was arrested in Poland, extradited to the U.S., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, and was sentenced to 16 years in prison, after which Ransom Cartel's operations ceased.