Karakurt ransomware negotiator indicted | SC Media

Russian ransomware operation Karakurt member Deniss Zolotarjovs has been indicted in the U.S. for his involvement as a “cold case” negotiator for the group following his extradition last month, according to BleepingComputer.

While the Justice Department did not specify the ransomware group where Zolotarjovs belonged, the Latvian hacker was discovered by the FBI to have operated as “Sforza_cesarini” under Karakurt, where he was involved with six or more extortion incidents against U.S. organizations from August 2021 to November 2023.

Over $1.3 million had been paid by one of the organizations hit by Karakurt as part of the negotiations initiated by Zolotarjovs, while another provided a $250,000 ransom, court documents revealed. Aside from being imprisoned for up to 20 years each for money laundering, wire fraud, and extortion crimes, Zolotarjovs could also be ordered to pay up to $500,000 in penalties for his crimes.