Members of Ransomware Gang Known for 'Extortionate Demands' Arrested in Ukraine: Authorities

Two members of a ransomware gang known for ransom demands of up to €70 million were arrested in Ukraine on September 28, Europol said.

The arrests were the result of an operation between the French National Gendarmerie, the Ukrainian National Police and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as well as coordination from Europol and INTERPOL, Europol said.

According to Europol, the organised crime group was suspected of having committed “targeted attacks against very large industrial groups in Europe and North America from April 2020 onwards”. They said the criminals would “deploy malware and steal sensitive data from these companies, before encrypting their files.”

On the day of the arrests, $375,000 in cash and two luxury vehicles worth €217,000 were seized and $1.3 million in cryptocurrencies was frozen.

Footage released by the Ukrainian National Police shows police entering and searching an apartment in Ukraine and seizing cash and computers. Credit: National Police of Ukraine via Storyful