A Latvian affiliate, Deniss Zolotarjovs, was sentenced to over eight years in U.S. prison after pleading guilty to money laundering and wire fraud for acting as a ransomware negotiator and extortion specialist for groups including Karakurt, Conti, and Akira. Prosecutors say he helped extort more than 53 companies, causing at least $56 million in losses and resorting to tactics such as leaking pediatric health data to pressure victims. #Karakurt #Akira
Keypoints
- Deniss Zolotarjovs pleaded guilty in July 2025 and was extradited to the U.S. in August 2024.
- He specialized in analyzing stolen data and applying hardball negotiation tactics, earning about 10% of ransoms.
- Prosecutors say he threatened and leaked pediatric patient data to force a healthcare victim to pay.
- The criminal network operated under many aliases (Conti, Karakurt, Royal, TommyLeaks, SchoolBoys, Akira) and had ties to former Russian law enforcement in St. Petersburg.
- Investigators linked his activity from June 2021 to March 2023 to over $56 million in losses and warned the organization remains active.
Read More: https://therecord.media/conti-akira-ransomware-affiliate-sentenced