U.S. prosecutors in New Jersey on Friday publicly introduced costs in opposition to Rostislav Panev, 51, a twin Russian-Israeli nationwide accused of being a key developer within the LockBit ransomware gang. Panev is at present in Israeli custody and faces extradition to the USA.
LockBit is likely one of the most prolific ransomware gangs, accused of launching crippling data-stealing cyberattacks at 1000’s of corporations around the globe, together with the U.S., and regarded as liable for not less than $500 million in ransom funds alone. Authorities recognized and seized LockBit’s infrastructure in a February takedown operation, however LockBit briefly bounced again as its chief, named by U.Ok. and U.S. authorities as Dmitry Khoroshev, stays at massive.
That’s three for 3, per prosecutors, after nabbing LockBit associates Mikhail Vasiliev in Canada in 2022, then Ruslan Astamirov within the U.S. in 2023, and now Panev, out of a complete of seven LockBit members indicted to this point.