Feds charge alleged negotiator for Russian ransomware group

The US authorities has charged a subordinate of a Russian ransomware radical known arsenic Karakurt, arsenic reported earlier by Bleeping Computer. In a property merchandise connected Tuesday, the Department of Justice claims 33-year-old Deniss Zolotarjovs of Moscow, Russia conspired to perpetrate wealth laundering, ligament fraud, and extortion.

As outlined successful the criminal complaint, the FBI alleges Karakurt stole and threatened to auction delicate information from respective companies passim the US. The ailment pins Zolotarjovs arsenic the hacking group’s negotiator of “cold lawsuit extortions,” successful which victims don’t respond with a ransom pursuing an attack, according to Bleeping Computer.

A bulletin from the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) says Karakurt has been known to interaction victims’ employees, concern partners, and clients “with harassing emails and telephone calls to unit the victims to cooperate.” It besides operated a leaks and auction website.

Law enforcement successful the Eastern European state of Georgia arrested Zolotarjovs past December and extradited him to the US earlier this month. The DOJ says Zolotarjovs is the archetypal alleged Karakurt subordinate to beryllium arrested and extradited to the US.