US Charges Israeli National for Working With LockBit Hackers
- Extortion group targeted Boeing, Royal Mail and thousands more
- Israeli-Russian national allegedly hired via Telegram chat app
The LockBit group has been connected to a string of ransomware attacks, in which hackers lock up victims’ data or render their systems inoperable.
Photographer: Anindito Mukherjee/BloombergUS authorities on Friday said they charged a dual Russian and Israeli national in connection with his alleged participation with the LockBit ransomware group and are seeking his extradition.
Rostislav Panev worked as a developer and coder for LockBit since roughly January 2022 and has received approximately $230,000 in cryptocurrency transfers for his efforts, according to charges from the Department of Justice that were unsealed on Friday. The 51-year-old was arrested in Israel in August and is being held there as US prosecutors pursue his extradition in court, the department said in a statement.