The United States has unmasked and indicted a Russian national allegedly involved in the creation of the LockBit ransomware, which has targeted over 2,000 victims and collected millions of dollars in ransom money.
On Tuesday, the Department of Justice unsealed a 26-count indictment against Dimitry Yuryevich Khoroshev, also known as “LockBitSupp” and “putinkrab.”
“As part of our unrelenting efforts to dismantle ransomware groups and protect victims, the Justice Department has brought over two dozen criminal charges against the administrator of LockBit, one of the world’s most dangerous ransomware organizations,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
The indictment follows the U.K. National Crime Agency’s disruption of LockBit ransomware in February. Working with partners from the FBI and other international law enforcement organizations, the NCA Cyber Division seized public-facing websites and servers that LockBit administrators used.
International police agencies, including the FBI, have issued a wanted poster offering $10 million for information that would lead to the capture of the notorious malicious cyber actor.
In solidarity with Washington, the governments of the United Kingdom and Australia also sanctioned Khoroshev over the ransomware campaign.
Graeme Biggar, director general of the NCA, vowed to go after affiliates who have used LockBit to attack organizations, including schools and hospitals, around the world.
“Working with our international partners, we will use all the tools at our disposal to target other groups like LockBit, expose their leadership and undermine their operations to protect the public,” Biggar said.
