"Man Arrested in Ontario For Alleged LockBit Ransomware Involvement"

A Russian and Canadian national has recently been charged with conspiracy to intentionally damage protected computers and to transmit ransom demands in connection with the LockBit global campaign.  Mikhail Vasiliev, 33, was apprehended in Bradford, Ontario, and is currently in custody in Canada, awaiting extradition to the US.  The Department of Justice (DoJ) noted that this arrest resulted from over 2.5 years of investigating the LockBit ransomware group, which has harmed victims in the United States and worldwide.  Vasiliev allegedly actively participated in the LockBit campaign, conspiring with other threat actors to spread the ransomware and issue demands.  If charged, he may face a maximum of five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross financial gain or loss from the scheme (whichever is greatest).  According to the DoJ, the LockBit ransomware variant first appeared around January 2020 and has since been deployed against roughly 1000 victims in the United States and worldwide.  Further, LockBit members have made at least $100m in ransom demands and have extracted tens of millions of dollars in ransom payments from their victims.

Infosecurity reports: "Man Arrested in Ontario For Alleged LockBit Ransomware Involvement"