The Justice Department announced the arrest of a Russian national for alleged involvement in ransomware and cyberattacks against computers across the United States and globe.
Twenty-year-old Ruslan Astamirov is suspected of being a part of a hacker group that used ransomware called LockBit to steal tens of millions of dollars from victims in several countries. He is charged with conspiring to commit wire fraud and conspiring to intentionally damage protected computers and to transmit ransom demands.
The scheme involved deploying LockBit to steal business data from servers and then lock the companies out of their databases until they agreed to pay. Such attacks affected companies in Virginia and Florida, the DOJ said. The complaint was issued in New Jersey.
"In securing the arrest of a second Russian national affiliated with the LockBit ransomware, the Department has once again demonstrated the long arm of the law," said deputy attorney general Lisa Monaco. "We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to disrupt cybercrime, and while cybercriminals may continue to run, they ultimately cannot hide."
The arrest of a Russian national by the United States comes as tensions between both countries have increased. Russia is planning the deployment of nuclear weapons to its neighboring ally Belarus despite protests from the United States. The United States also recently accused Russia of collaborating with Iran to build a drone factory outside of Moscow to aid in the invasion of Ukraine.