Ransomware Negotiator Betrays Clients, Sentenced to 70-Month Prison Term

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A former ransomware negotiator at incident response firm DigitalMint has received a 70-month prison term after admitting to sharing confidential client data with the BlackCat ransomware group and participating in subsequent cyberattacks.

Court Records and Sentencing Details

According to court records, Angelo Martino, 41, exploited his position at DigitalMint starting in April 2023 to provide BlackCat operators with sensitive details gathered during ransom negotiations. This information encompassed victim negotiation strategies, insurance policy coverage limits, and internal evaluations, which the group used to optimize ransom demands targeting five organizations.

Statement from U.S. Attorney

U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida stated, “Martino was employed to assist victims during critical incidents. Instead, he compromised their trust by transmitting confidential negotiation details to cybercriminals, enabling further financial exploitation.”

Participants and Criminal Activities

Additional participants in the scheme included Ryan Goldberg from Georgia and Kevin Martin from Texas, both of whom operated within the cybersecurity sector. Their roles involved leveraging industry expertise to facilitate criminal activities. Martino and Martin served as ransom negotiation specialists at DigitalMint, while Goldberg held a position as an incident response manager at Sygnia Cybersecurity Services.

Funds and Asset Confiscation

One instance involved the conspirators receiving approximately $1.2 million in Bitcoin following a ransom payment. The Justice Department reported that the funds were distributed among the individuals and subsequently laundered through cryptocurrency transactions designed to obscure their origins. Federal authorities also confiscated over $10 million in digital assets and physical property linked to Martino, including luxury vehicles, a fishing boat, and a food truck.

Legal Proceedings and Restitution

A separate court proceeding will determine the restitution amount he must pay to victims. Martino entered a guilty plea on April 14 for conspiring to disrupt interstate commerce through extortion. On May 1, his co-conspirators, Kevin Martin and Ryan Goldberg, each received 48-month sentences for their involvement in the conspiracy.