Ransomware Negotiator Pleads Guilty to Involvement with BlackCat Cyberattack Group

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Ransomware Attackers Sentenced for Extortion

Three former employees of DigitalMint have been sentenced for their role in facilitating BlackCat (ALPHV) ransomware attacks against US companies.

Background on the Case

Angelo Martino, a 41-year-old former employee of DigitalMint, pleaded guilty to participating in BlackCat ransomware attacks against US companies in 2023.
Martino was charged alongside two other former DigitalMint employees, Ryan Clifford Goldberg and Kevin Tyler Martin, with conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by extortion, interference with interstate commerce by extortion, and intentional damage to protected computers.

According to court documents, the trio worked as ransomware negotiators, targeting at least five US organizations between April 2023 and April 2025. They demanded ransom payments and threatened victims with the release of stolen data.

The victims included financial services firms, non-profit organizations, law firms, school districts, medical facilities, and other financial services companies.

Court Documents Reveal Extensive Ransom Payments

The trio shared confidential information about the victims’ negotiation positions and insurance policy limits with BlackCat ransomware operators.
This allowed the cybercriminals to extort the maximum possible amount from the victims.
The three defendants received a 20% share of all ransom payments made to BlackCat operators, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.

TWO OF THE DEFENDANTS, MARTIN AND GOLDBERG, ALSO PLEADED GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY TO OBSTRUCT COMMERCE BY EXTORTION AND FACE UP TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON EACH.

Company Response and Impact of the Attacks

DigitalMint CEO Jonathan Solomon stated that the company condemned the malicious conduct of its former employees and took swift action to terminate them when the behavior was discovered.
BlackCat ransomware has been linked to over 60 breaches between November 2021 and March 2022, resulting in at least $300 million in ransom payments from over 1,000 victims through September 2023.
The FBI has issued advisories warning of the gang’s activities and the potential risks associated with paying ransom demands.