Florida ransomware negotiator convicted for helping ransomware gang extort US companies

A U.S. ransomware negotiator, Angelo Martino, was sentenced to over five years for conspiring with hackers to deploy BlackCat/ALPHV ransomware and launder extortion proceeds (investigators seized over $10M in cryptocurrency and assets). Prosecutors say Martino and two cybersecurity professionals worked with affiliates to extort victims in 2023—one attack netting about $1.2M—and the report also notes a separate large BlackCat-linked data breach at Change Healthcare affecting 192 million people.