Four members of the ransomware gang, also known as Sodinokibi, have been sentenced to prison terms in Russia.
This incident is a rare example of the actions of Russian authorities against cybercriminals, particularly a ransomware group operating within its borders.
The St. Petersburg Guard Military Court found Artem Zayets, Aleksey Malozemov, Daniil Puzyrevsky and Ruslan Khansvyarov guilty of various cybercrimes, including illegal circulation of payment instruments and distribution of malware.
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The convicted belonged to a larger group of 14 individuals who were initially arrested in connection with the REvil case. REvil, which once was a significant source of threats, was dismantled after many of its members were arrested by the Russian authorities.
«All the accused have been detained since 2022 and have not admitted their guilt. The arrests of the alleged members of REvil, who are called pro‑Russian cybercriminals by the Western press, were carried out in various regions of the Russian Federation in June 2021»», said the Russian news agency Kommersant.
The investigation, which was launched at the request of US law enforcement authorities, revealed the group's involvement in high-profile cyberattacks targeting international technology companies, such as Spain's MasMovil, Kaseya and the US nuclear weapons company.
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The prison sentences imposed on the four individuals range from 4.5 to 6 years. This development is particularly significant, given that Russia is often considered a haven for cybercriminals.
The conviction of these REvil members is part of a broader crackdown on cybercrime in Russia. Earlier this year, Russian authorities also launched investigations into the Cryptex and UAPS groups, known for providing money laundering services to hackers. It also followed the sentencing of Yaroslav Vasinskyi, a 24-year-old Ukrainian national, to 13 years in prison in the US for his involvement in more than 2,500 REvil ransomware attacks.
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It is important to note that the actions of the Russian government against REvil originated amid increasing international pressure, especially from the United States, after 2021, when the gang targeted more than 1,000 businesses worldwide.
Source: hackread
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