- A Florida-based dealer hired to help ransomware victims secretly helped BlackCat attackers and deployed the ransomware himself
- Prosecutors revealed he shared confidential client information, conspired with accomplices and laundered over $1 million in Bitcoin
- All three defendants pleaded guilty with sentencing dates set for mid-2026 and potential prison terms of up to 20 years
A cybersecurity professional hired by ransomware victims to negotiate with the attackers admitted to helping the threat actors, as well as deploying the ransomware himself, it was reported earlier this week.
According to a press release released by the US Department of Justice, Angelo Martino, 41, of Land O’Lakes, Florida, was hired in 2023 by five different companies to help negotiate the release of the decryption key and stolen files with the operators of the infamous BlackCat ransomware.
Instead of doing so, Martino shared sensitive inside information with the crooks and helped them maximize their demands: “Martino provided BlackCat attackers with confidential information about the negotiating position and strategy of his firm’s clients without the clients’ or his employer’s knowledge or permission,” the DOJ said. “This confidential information assisted the ransomware actors and maximized the ransom paid by the victims. The confidential information included the victims’ insurance policy limits and internal bargaining positions.”
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Looking at 20 years in prison
Martino was rewarded for his efforts by the BlackCat gang.
This is the latest development in the case, which was first reported in November 2025. At the time, a US federal indictment was filed in the Southern District of Florida against two defendants – Ryan Clifford Goldberg of Georgia and Kevin Tyler Martin of Texas, and a third, unnamed co-conspirator (who we now know was Martino), alleging that the trio hacked data with ALPH, encrypted data, encrypted data with ALPHBC. ransomware and demanded cryptocurrency ransom.
At the time, it was reported that Martin and Martino both worked at DigitalMint, while Goldberg was the former Sygnia incident manager.
Martino also admitted to conspiring with Goldberg and Martin to deploy BlackCat against several US-based victims, bringing in and later laundering about $1.2 million in Bitcoin. The DoJ said it has so far seized $10 million in assets from Martino, including digital currency, vehicles, a food truck and a luxury fishing boat that Martino obtained through criminal activity.
All three pleaded guilty. Martin and Goldberg expect to be sentenced later this month, while Martino is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9, 2026. All three face up to 20 years in prison.
Via Hacker News
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