A 43-year-old Russian national has pleaded guilty in a US court to charges stemming from his role in the Phobos ransomware operation.
The man, Evgenii Ptitsyn, was arrested in South Korea in June 2024 and extradited to the United States in November of the same year.
The US Justice Department announced on Wednesday that Ptitsyn has now pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, for which he faces up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for July 15.
According to authorities, Ptitsyn was involved in the Phobos scheme since at least November 2020, helping with the sale, distribution, and operation of the ransomware.
Ptitsyn appears to have been part of the administration team, which offered malware and infrastructure that affiliates could use to target victims and obtain ransom payments.
The Phobos operation emerged in 2019 and targeted more than 1,000 organizations worldwide, with cybercriminals believed to have obtained over $16 million in ransom payments.
Authorities in the United States and Europe have taken significant action against the Phobos operation in recent years, announcing infrastructure takedowns and arrests.
The most recent arrest was announced last month. Police in Poland apprehended a 47-year-old man who appears to be suspected of being a Phobos affiliate.
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