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Cybersecurity U.S. cybersecurity experts plead guilty for ransomware attacks, face 20 years in prison each -- group demanded up to $10 million from each victim News By Jowi Morales published 30 December 2025 These cybersecurity experts were hired to prevent the exact attacks they perpetrated. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's how it works. ransomware (Image credit: Getty / da-kuk) Share Share by: * Copy link * Facebook * X * Whatsapp * Reddit * Flipboard Share this article Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Two former cybersecurity experts pled guilty to conspiracy to obstruct commerce by extortion and are set to be sentenced up to 20 years in prison each for attacking several U.S. companies with ransomware and holding their data hostage for up to $10 million. BleepingComputer reported that the two offenders were former employees of Sygnia and DigitalMint -- cybersecurity incident response firms that help companies that have been affected by ransomware and other cyberattacks. "These defendants used their sophisticated cybersecurity training and experience to commit ransomware attacks -- the very type of crime that they should have been working to stop," Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva said in a statement. "Extortion via the internet victimizes innocent citizens every bit as much as taking money directly out of their pockets. The Department of Justice is committed to using all tools available to identify and arrest perpetrators of ransomware attacks wherever we have jurisdiction." Ryan Clifford Goldberg, 40, of Watkinsville, Georgia, was a Sygnia incident response manager, while Kevin Tyler Martin, 36, of Roanoke, Texas, was a ransomware threat negotiator for DigitalMint. Another unnamed co-conspirator had the same position as Martin at DigitalMint, but they haven't been identified yet. According to the Justice Department, the three people tapped the ALPHV BlackCat ransomware-as-a-service for their activities, paying its administrators a 20% cut of their proceeds. You may like * North Korean remote worker Five convicted for helping North Korean IT workers pose as Americans and secure jobs at U.S. firms * A group of people arrested in Benin for committing cyber fraud Interpol-led cybercrime crackdown results in 574 arrests in 19 African nations, decrypts six ransomware variants * Shipping containers Cyber firm warns that hackers are teaming up with crime rings to hijack cargo The three conspirators attacked several U.S. companies across different states, including those based in Maryland, California, Florida, and Virginia. Of all the victims, court records show that only a Florida-based medical device maker paid a ransom of $1.27 million -- a fraction of the $10 million the group demanded from the company. After paying BlackCat's 20% cut, the group split the remainder three ways and laundered the Bitcoin through different channels. Neither the DOJ nor the United States Southern District Court of Florida mentioned how the two were caught, so we don't know what led to their arrest -- nevertheless, Goldberg has been in federal custody since September 2023. The FBI Miami Field Office was the main agency behind this investigation, and has been assisted by the U.S. Secret Service. Aside from their arrest, indictment, and sentencing, the Southern District of Florida is also handling the asset forfeiture case, meaning the perpetrators will likely yield the proceeds of their crime to the victims or the state. Google Preferred Source Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source , to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds. Stay On the Cutting Edge: Get the Tom's Hardware Newsletter Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. [ ][ ]Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands[ ]Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors[Sign me up] By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. See all comments (4) Jowi Morales Jowi Morales Social Links Navigation Contributing Writer Jowi Morales is a tech enthusiast with years of experience working in the industry. He's been writing with several tech publications since 2021, where he's been interested in tech hardware and consumer electronics. Read more North Korean remote worker Five convicted for helping North Korean IT workers pose as Americans and secure jobs at U.S. firms A group of people arrested in Benin for committing cyber fraud Interpol-led cybercrime crackdown results in 574 arrests in 19 African nations, decrypts six ransomware variants Shipping containers Cyber firm warns that hackers are teaming up with crime rings to hijack cargo Nvidia A100 Four Americans charged with smuggling Nvidia GPUs and HPE supercomputers to China face up to 200 years in prison North Korean IT workers FBI issues wanted notice for alleged North Korea-linked remote IT workers accused of $900,000 crypto theft Crypto hacker Crypto fraud and laundering ring that stole $689 million busted by European authorities Latest in Cybersecurity North Korean IT workers FBI issues wanted notice for alleged North Korea-linked remote IT workers accused of $900,000 crypto theft A group of people arrested in Benin for committing cyber fraud Interpol-led cybercrime crackdown results in 574 arrests in 19 African nations, decrypts six ransomware variants Cybersecurity Resideo sued by Nebraska AG over rebranding footage-leaking Chinese cameras Water pipes and valve 1,000 computers taken offline in Romanian water management authority hack North Korean IT workers North Korean applicants flood Amazon An Italian ferry, operated by GNV, docked in the South of France French authorities arrest man for installing malware on a passenger ferry Latest in News Rocks inside RTX 5080 box. Unlucky RTX 5080 buyer who received rocks made whole after month-long investigation, gets tattoo to commemorate Bitcoin on a Russian flag with a crack through it. Russia cracks down on 'illegal' cryptomining with prison terms up to five years ransomware U.S. cybersecurity experts plead guilty for ransomware attacks, face 20 years in prison each Ryzen 9000 AMD's upcoming Ryzen 7 9850X3D might cost around $500, according to new listings SK hynix's Icheon Campus U.S. grants Samsung and SK hynix 2026 licenses for chipmaking tool shipments to China -- annual approvals replace dated waiver system US Dollars Chinese firms Bytedance and Tencent reportedly offer massive 150% pay increases and 35% bonuses to entice AI talent [ ] 4 Comments Comment from the forums * TechieTwo I wonder how many more there are? :eek: Reply * alrighty_then You can make a good living in tech without going black hat. Did they owe the mob or something? Glad they were caught. Reply * Sluggotg I hope they do get 20 years. We have all seen people commit horrid crimes and get 5 years. They need to make an example out of these guys. Reply * inquisitor2 So you steal from companies and it's 20 years....you crash the housing market and destroy millions of people's lives....you get... light regulations in place until the next corrupt administration removes them.....and start again with a brand new name for the same bs product. But let the outrage ring out for these horrid crimes.....horrid.....lol....1.2 million that was probably insured or will be a writeoff Reply * View All 4 Comments Tom's Hardware is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. [mednnv697g] Add as a preferred source on Google * Terms and conditions * Contact Future's experts * Privacy policy * Cookies policy * Accessibility Statement * Advertise with us * About us * Coupons * Careers (c) Future US, Inc. 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