Ransomware Negotiator Sentenced for Colluding With Attackers

Angelo Martino, a former ransomware negotiator for DigitalMint, was sentenced to 70 months in prison on Tuesday for colluding with BlackCat ransomware scammers. Martino's role at DigitalMint involved negotiating with cybercriminals to reduce ransom payments for the company's clients. However, instead of protecting victims, Martino shared confidential negotiation information with the attackers to inflate ransom demands, receiving a portion of the payments in return. The US government stated that five victims Martino was meant to assist collectively paid over $75 million to ransomware affiliates, with a significant portion of these demands likely increased due to Martino's leaked information. Martino, 41, pleaded guilty and had requested a 24-month sentence, citing his substantial assistance in the indictment and conviction of two co-defendants. These co-defendants were identified as Kevin Martin, another ransomware negotiator for DigitalMint, and Ryan Goldberg, an incident manager at the security firm Sygnia. The case highlights a significant breach of trust within the cybersecurity industry, where an individual tasked with mitigating cyber threats actively facilitated criminal extortion.