Ransom Cartel Creator Gets 16 Years in Prison for Operating Ransomware-as-a-Service
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Maksim Silnikau, a Belarusian national, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for creating and operating Ransom Cartel, a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) platform active from 2021 to 2023. The operation facilitated attacks on at least 18 organizations globally, leveraging stolen credentials and a hidden affiliate panel for managing ransom negotiations and payments via cryptocurrency mixers. While Silnikau did not conduct most intrusions himself, he built and managed the infrastructure, including a ratings system for affiliates. The operation was initially launched under a different name in May 2021 before being rebranded as Ransom Cartel later that year.
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