Russian authorities say members of REvil hack group arrested at US request

The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation reported that members of the cybercriminal hack group REvil were arrested at the request of the United States.

The message says that, together with the Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, searches were carried out at 25 addresses in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Leningrad and Lipetsk regions. Law enforcement officers became interested in 14 people associated with the REvil hack group.

As a result of the searches, funds were seized: over 426,000,000 rubles, including in cryptocurrency, 600,000 US dollars, 500,000 euros, as well as computer equipment, crypto wallets used to commit crimes and 20 premium cars purchased with cash proceeds from crime.

The basis for the search activities was the appeal of the competent US authorities, who reported on the leader of the criminal community and who suggested his involvement in encroachments on the information resources of foreign high-tech companies by introducing malicious software, encrypting information and extorting money for its decryption. The FSB of Russia has established the full composition of the REvil criminal community and the involvement of its members in the illegal circulation of means of payment, documenting illegal activities has been carried out.FSB official message says.

It is known that the detained members of the hack group were charged with committing crimes under Part 2 of Art. 187 “Illegal circulation of means of payment” of the Criminal Code of Russia.

As a result of the joint actions of the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, the organized criminal community ceased to exist and the information infrastructure used for criminal purposes was neutralized. Representatives of the competent US authorities have been informed about the results of the operation.law enforcement officers sum up.

Let me remind you that REvil (Sodinokibi) was one of the largest and most famous extortion groups. In particular, REvil is responsible for the high-profile hacking of MSP solutions provider Kaseya in 2021, as well as for the attack on the world’s largest meat producer, JBS.

Previously, persons associated with REvil have already been arrested by Western law enforcement officers: last fall, Ukrainian citizen Yaroslav Vasinsky was detained, who is suspected of organizing an extortion attack on Kaseya servers, and at the same time, Europol reported on the arrest of seven more suspects who worked as partners of REvil and GandCrab, and have helped to carry out over 7,000 ransomware attacks since the beginning of 2019.

Let me also remind you that in the fall last year, US President Joe Biden, in a telephone conversation, called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the attacks of ransomware hackers operating from the territory of the Russian Federation. Then Biden said that if after that Russia does not take action, the United States will be forced to take them themselves.

In addition, US authorities promised up to $10,000,000 for any information that could lead to the identification or arrest of the leaders of the hack group, and up to $5 million for any information about REvil partners who help hackers carry out attacks and participate in operations.

Let me remind you that some time ago the FBI stated that they had found no evidence of Russia’s fight against extortionists.

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