A former ransomware negotiator for DigitalMint who systematically overcharged clients has been sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering, the Justice Department announced.
Angelo Martino, the DigitalMint negotiator, admitted to inflating ransom payment demands and pocketing the difference, defrauding victims who had already suffered ransomware attacks. The scheme involved negotiating lower ransom amounts with attackers than what was reported to clients, then keeping the surplus. DigitalMint facilitated cryptocurrency payments for ransomware victims, and Martino exploited his position as the intermediary between victims and attackers.
The 70-month sentence reflects the seriousness of exploiting ransomware victims who are already in a vulnerable position. Prosecutors said Martinos scheme added financial injury to organizations already dealing with the operational disruption of a ransomware attack. The case highlights the importance of transparency in incident response and the potential for abuse within the ransomware payment ecosystem. DigitalMint was not charged with wrongdoing in connection with the scheme.
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