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US accuses Russian Khoroshev of creating LockBit cyber-crime gang — Department of State

The Department of State has announced a $10 mln reward for information "leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Russian national Dmitry Yuryevich Khoroshev"

WASHINGTON, May 7. /TASS/. The United States has charged Russian Dmitry Khoroshev with creating the LockBit cyber-crime gang, the press service of the US Department of State reported.

According to the statement, a federal grand jury in the District of New Jersey charged Khoroshev with crimes arising from his role in developing the LockBit ransomware variant and conspiring to conduct multiple ransomware attacks targeting victims in the United States and around the world.

The Department of State has announced a $10 mln reward for information "leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Russian national Dmitry Yuryevich Khoroshev for participating in, conspiring to participate in or attempting to participate in transnational organized cybercrime as a leader of the LockBit ransomware group."

On Tuesday, Australia, the UK and the US imposed sanctions against one of the leaders of the LockBit cyber-crime gang, Russian citizen Dmitry Khoroshev.

"The United States, in close coordination with our British and Australian partners, will continue to hold accountable the individuals responsible for these disruptive and threatening activities," Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson said as quoted by the press service of the US Treasury Department.

In February, Bloomberg reported that the UK National Crime Agency, the FBI and a number of other law enforcement agencies conducted a joint operation during which they blocked the LockBit portal. A US intelligence agency spokesman told Bloomberg that the operation, which involved 11 countries, also blocked 11,000 domain names used by the gang to distribute malware. According to the US Department of Justice, more than 1,400 cyber-attacks were carried out with the participation of LockBit in the US and around the world. The cyber criminals demanded a total of more than $100 million from their victims, receiving at least tens of millions of dollars in Bitcoin.

Inclusion on the sanctions list entails the freezing of assets in the United States and the prohibition of American citizens and companies from doing business with those involved.

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