220/69 Thursday, April 23, 2026
The U.S. Department of Justice has revealed major developments in a significant cybercrime case involving 41-year-old Angelo Martino, a former ransomware negotiator who has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion. Authorities found that Martino secretly collaborated with the BlackCat ransomware group in 2023. Acting as a negotiator for five victim organizations, he covertly shared sensitive internal information—such as cyber insurance coverage limits and negotiation strategies-with the attackers, without the knowledge of his employer or clients. This enabled the hackers to maximize ransom demands, for which Martino received a share of the proceeds.
Beyond breaching trust in his professional role, Martino also admitted to working with two incident response specialists, Ryan Goldberg and Kevin Martin, to deploy BlackCat ransomware across multiple U.S. companies between April and November 2023. In one case, the group successfully extorted up to $1.2 million in Bitcoin from a victim. The illicit gains were later laundered through various channels. As a result of the investigation, authorities have seized assets from Martino valued at over $10 million, including cryptocurrency, vehicles, a food truck, and a yacht.
This case represents a severe breach of trust within the cybersecurity industry, as professionals tasked with protecting victims instead became perpetrators. Martino is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9, 2026, and faces up to 20 years in prison. His co-conspirators have already pleaded guilty. According to the Assistant Attorney General, Martino’s actions not only betrayed his clients and employer but also undermined the ethical foundation of a profession responsible for safeguarding data on a global scale.
Source https://thehackernews.com/2026/04/ransomware-negotiator-pleads-guilty-to.html