Two members of the Lockbit ransomware organization pleaded guilty and may face up to 25 years and 45 years in prison respectively.

On July 21st, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed that two foreign citizens admitted to being involved in the Lockbit ransomware organization at the Newark Federal Court. Russian citizen Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov and Mikhail Vasiliev, who holds dual citizenship of Canada and Russia, were identified as members of the Lockbit organization. The organization has been active since January 2020 and has launched attacks on over 2,500 victims from 120 countries, extorting approximately $500 million in ransom. Their victims include hospitals, educational institutions, and businesses. Astamirov and Vasiliev used Lockbit ransomware to encrypt and steal data, demanding ransom and threatening to disclose information if their demands were not met. They were arrested in 2023 and 2022 respectively, facing a maximum sentence of up to 25 years and 45 years in prison.