A Ransomware Negotiator Who Colluded With Attackers To Scam Victims Was Sentenced To 70 Months In Prison

Angelo Martino helped scam ransomware victims out of over $75 million, officials said.

A negotiator who dealt with scammers on behalf of ransomware victims was actually colluding with the attackers. Angelo Martino pleaded guilty to conspiring to interfere with interstate commerce through extortion. Martino, who faced up to 20 years in prison, sought a sentence of 24 months as part of a plea agreement. However, he was sentenced to 70 months behind bars.

Law enforcement officers have seized $10 million worth of assets that Martino obtained through the scheme. As Ars Technica notes, Martino will also have to fork over 10 percent of whatever salary he earns after his release from prison to compensate the victims. The victims, which included four companies and a non-profit, each paid ransoms of between $213,000 and $26.8 million, for a total of over $75 million.

Courtfilingsdetailed Martino's role in the scheme,...

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