August 23, 2024 at 01:36AM
Deniss Zolotarjovs, a Latvian residing in Moscow, has been charged in the U.S. for allegedly engaging in cybercrimes, including data theft, extortion, and money laundering. Zolotarjovs is linked to a cybercriminal organization involved in ransomware attacks and is the first member of the group to be extradited to the U.S. from Georgia.
Key takeaways from the meeting notes:
– A 33-year-old Latvian national, Deniss Zolotarjovs (aka Sforza_cesarini), has been charged in the U.S. for cyber crimes related to stealing data, extortion, and laundering ransom payments.
– Zolotarjovs is a member of a known cybercriminal organization that engages in ransomware attacks, data theft, and extortion.
– The cybercrime syndicate is believed to be Karakurt, which emerged as a splinter group following the crackdown on Conti in 2022.
– Zolotarjovs was actively involved in negotiating extortions, recruiting journalists, and conducting open-source research to identify and pressure victims.
– The FBI was able to link Zolotarjovs to his online alias “Sforza_cesarini” through Bitcoin transfers and IP address tracing.
– Zolotarjovs is the first alleged group member of Karakurt to be arrested and extradited to the U.S., potentially paving the way for the identification and prosecution of additional members in the future.
– The U.S. government has issued a bulletin describing the tactics used by Karakurt, including contacting victims’ employees, business partners, and clients with harassing emails and phone calls to pressure them to cooperate.
Please let me know if you need any further information or clarification.