Ransom Cartel Leader Sentenced to 16 Years in U.S.

A U.S. federal judge sentenced Maksim Silnikau, the 40-year-old founder and administrator of the Ransom Cartel ransomware-as-a-service, to 16 years in prison for operating an infrastructure that facilitated at least 18 ransomware attacks between 2021 and 2023; the report details how he supplied stolen credentials, encryption software, and an affiliate panel to coordinate attacks and ransom negotiations, notes his July 2023 arrest and August 2024 extradition, mentions a separate unresolved prosecution tied to the Angler Exploit Kit, and highlights an open question about any connection to REvil.