Ransomware negotiator who secretly aided attackers sentenced to 6 years
A former DigitalMint employee hired to negotiate ransomware payments on behalf of victims was sentenced to six years in prison for secretly colluding with the BlackCat ransomware group to maximize extortion amounts.
According to court documents, the defendant, identified as part of the conspiracy, used his position to gain access to confidential victim information, including insurance limits and negotiation strategies, and relayed that to BlackCat actors via a hidden chat tab. In May 2023, he obtained affiliate access to the BlackCat panel, which he shared with co-conspirators, and they used the ransomware to attack additional victims, splitting the proceeds.
DigitalMint stated it was an unknowing victim; Martino had bypassed internal controls. The company fired the involved employees and cooperated with the FBI. Another individual, Goldberg, was terminated by Sygnia upon learning of the scheme. Sygnia said it was not a target of the investigation and worked closely with federal authorities.
