Europol: Key ransomware suspects arrested in Ukraine

On 28 November, Europol reported that law enforcement agencies from seven countries had arrested the ringleader and four other key figures of a hacker gang operating from Ukraine, which used ransomware to illicitly extract hundreds of millions of euros from their victims.

“In an unprecedented effort, law enforcement and judicial authorities from seven countries have joined forces with Europol and Eurojust to dismantle and apprehend in Ukraine key figures behind significant ransomware operations wreaking havoc across the world,” Europol says.

On 21 November, a series of 30 property searches were conducted across the regions of Kyiv, Cherkasy, Rivne, and Vinnytsia, leading to the apprehension of the 32-year-old ringleader. Additionally, four of the most active associates of the ringleader were also taken into custody, according to Europol.

To aid the Ukrainian National Police in their investigative efforts, over 20 investigators from Norway, France, Germany, and the United States were deployed to Kyiv. This collaborative effort was mirrored at Europol’s headquarters in the Netherlands, where a virtual command post was activated to promptly analyze the data seized during the searches conducted in Ukraine.

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