Cybersecurity consultants accused of finishing up their very own assaults utilizing harmful ransomware

Cybersecurity experts accused of carrying out their own attacks using dangerous ransomware
2 minutes
  • Three males allegedly deployed ALPHV ransomware in opposition to US firms and demanded cryptocurrency ransoms
  • Victims included medical, pharmaceutical, engineering and drone firms; one paid 1.2 million {dollars}
  • The costs last as long as 20 years; Goldberg confessed and was caught attempting to flee

Three cybersecurity professionals have been accused of working as associates of the scary ALPHV (BlackCat) ransomware gang, deploying encryption in opposition to a number of US organizations.

A US federal indictment filed within the Southern District of Florida claims that two defendants, Ryan Clifford Goldberg of Georgia and Kevin Tyler Martin of Texas, together with a 3rd confederate, hacked into the corporate’s networks, stole information, encrypted it with ALPHV ransomware, and demanded cryptocurrency ransoms.

While the indictment doesn’t describe both man as cybersecurity professionals, the Chicago Sun-Times claims that each Martin and the unnamed co-conspirator labored at DigitalMint as ransomware risk negotiators, whereas Goldberg was a former Sygnia incident response supervisor.

20 years in jail

His victims included no less than 5 firms: a Florida medical machine firm (it demanded a $10 million ransom and ended up paying about $1.2 million), a Maryland pharmaceutical firm, a California physician’s workplace and engineering firm, and a Virginia-based drone producer.

Since the 5 firms had been engaged in interstate commerce, the case falls beneath federal jurisdiction, it was defined.

The funds had been allegedly laundered via a number of cryptocurrency wallets to cover their origins.

All three face a severe jail sentence. They are charged with “conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by racketeering,” “interference with electronic commerce by racketeering,” and “intentional damage to a protected computer.” The first two carry jail sentences of as much as 20 years, whereas the third 10 years.

Martin has pleaded not responsible, whereas Goldberg has been in federal custody since September 2023.

Citing an FBI affidavit, CyberInsider reported that Goldberg admitted to collaborating within the assaults throughout an FBI interview in June 2025 and even stated he was recruited by the co-conspirator. He allegedly tried to flee the nation along with his spouse after the interview, when he was detained.

Through beepcomputer