LockBit Developer Rostislav Panev, a Dual Russian-Israeli Citizen, Arrested

• Arrest of Rostislav Panev: Dual Russian-Israeli national Rostislav Panev, a key developer for the LockBit ransomware group, was arrested in Israel in August and awaits extradition to the U.S.

• Role in LockBit Operations: Panev allegedly developed and maintained malware infrastructure for LockBit, enabling affiliates to launch ransomware attacks globally since 2019.

• Evidence Seized: Authorities discovered administrator credentials for LockBit’s dark web tools, malware source codes, and control panel access during Panev’s arrest.

• Admissions and Payments: Panev admitted to disabling antivirus software, deploying malware, and printing ransom notes, earning over $230,000 in cryptocurrency for his work.

• Impact of LockBit: LockBit ransomware has targeted over 1,800 U.S. victims and thousands more worldwide, causing billions in damages and collecting over $500 million in ransom payments.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) has announced the arrest of Rostislav Panev, a dual Russian and Israeli national accused of ...