A UK court has sentenced two hackers linked to the Scattered Spider cybercrime group for their role in a ransomware scheme that targeted dozens of companies and netted approximately $115 million in cryptocurrency payments. The pair pleaded guilty after investigators traced their activities across multiple jurisdictions.
The sentencing, handed down in a London court, comes after a lengthy investigation involving the Metropolitan Police and international law enforcement agencies. Prosecutors said the hackers were part of a broader network that conducted ransomware attacks on businesses, extorting payments in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
Scattered Spider has been one of the most prolific ransomware groups in recent years, known for targeting large enterprises through social engineering and credential theft. The group has been linked to attacks on healthcare providers, financial institutions, and technology companies across North America and Europe.
The two individuals sentenced in the UK were described by prosecutors as key operators within the group, responsible for negotiating ransom payments and managing the cryptocurrency wallets used to collect funds from victims. The court handed down multi-year prison sentences, reflecting the severity of the offenses and the widespread damage caused to victims.
The case underscores the growing legal consequences for cryptocurrency-related cybercrime. Law enforcement agencies globally have intensified efforts to trace blockchain transactions and identify individuals behind ransomware operations. The use of cryptocurrency for ransom payments has been a persistent challenge, though increased surveillance and blockchain analytics have improved investigators’ ability to follow the money.
This article was adapted from Cointelegraph. Read the original here.
