Russian National Extradited to U.S. for $16M Phobos Ransomware Operation

Nov 19, 2024, 06:06 AM

Evgenii Ptitsyn, a 42-year-old Russian national, has been extradited to the United States from South Korea to face charges related to his alleged role as an administrator of the Phobos ransomware operation. The Department of Justice (DOJ) unsealed charges against him on Monday, accusing him of leading a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) operation that targeted schools, hospitals, and other institutions across the U.S. and other countries. Since 2019, the Phobos ransomware has extorted over $16 million from more than 1,000 victims worldwide. The DOJ has also seized $16 million in cryptocurrency linked to these attacks.