Ransomware pioneer receives 16-year all-inclusive government stay

Maksim Silnikau, a Belarusian cybercriminal who created and led the Ransom Cartel ransomware-as-a-service operation, was sentenced to 16 years in U.S. federal prison. Active on cybercrime forums for nearly two decades, Silnikau also developed the widely used Angler exploit kit and, with co-conspirators, pioneered the first ransomware-as-a-service model in 2011 with Reveton. Ransom Cartel targeted at least 18 organizations between 2021 and 2023, stealing data and demanding payment. His arrest in Spain in 2024 and subsequent extradition significantly disrupted the group's operations.