[BreachExchange] Alleged Ukrainian hacker in US court after extradition from Poland

[Terrell Byrd]

https://news.yahoo.com/alleged-ukrainian-hacker-us-court-230150616.html

A Ukrainian man appeared before a US court on Wednesday to face charges
over his role in ransomware attacks, including last year's hack of IT
software company Kaseya.

Yaroslav Vasinskyi, 22, was extradited to the United States from Poland on
March 3, the Justice Department said, and made an initial appearance in a
court in the Northern District of Texas.

Vasinskyi was arrested in Poland in October as part of a global operation
against ransomware attacks.

The arrests were linked to the Russian-based hacker group REvil, also known
as Sodinokibi, and the ransomware group GandCrab.

"The Justice Department will spare no resource in identifying and bringing
to justice transnational cybercriminals who target the American people,"
Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

According to his August 2021 indictment, Vasinskyi accessed the computer
networks of several companies and deployed Sodinokibi/REvil ransomware to
encrypt their data.

Among the companies targeted was Kaseya, which provides IT services to some
40,000 businesses globally.

Ransomware is an increasingly lucrative form of digital hostage-taking in
which hackers encrypt victims' data and then demand money for restored
access.

Companies targeted by Sodinokibi/REvil were told to pay a ransom in virtual
currency or their data would be posted publicly.

Vasinskyi is charged with conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to
commit money laundering. He could face up to 115 years in prison.

Yevgyeniy Polyanin, a Russian, has also been charged with conducting
REvil/Sodinokibi ransomware attacks against businesses and government
entities in Texas in August 2019.

Polyanin, who has been indicted in Texas for conspiracy to commit fraud, is
believed to be in Russia, possibly in Barnaul, according to the FBI.
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