Ukraine Extradites Alleged Ransomware Operator to US

A suspected affiliate of the Ryuk ransomware gang has been extradited from Ukraine to the United States, where he faces charges linked to cyberattacks that extorted over $100 million.

The unnamed 33-year-old was arrested in Kyiv in April at the request of U.S. authorities, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General announced. He is accused of helping breach corporate networks as an “initial access broker.”

Police seized over $600,000 in cryptocurrency, nine luxury cars, and 24 plots of land during the arrest. Authorities say the Ryuk gang launched more than 2,400 ransomware attacks worldwide, demanding crypto payments to unlock encrypted data.

First detected in 2018, Ryuk has targeted large organisations and infrastructure, and is suspected to have Russian ties.

The extradition is part of a broader international crackdown involving the U.S. and European allies to disrupt ransomware operations tied to Ryuk and similar groups.