A federal court sentenced Russian national Illya Angelov for operating the Mario Kart botnet that infected thousands of computers daily and sold backdoor access to ransomware groups, victimizing 72 companies across 31 U.S. states. Angelov pleaded guilty and received a reduced 61-month sentence, a $100,000 fine, and a $1.6 million money judgment after cooperating and surrendering, a case prosecutors cite as part of a DOJ push against the ransomware supply chain. #IllyaAngelov #MarioKart
Keypoints
- Angelov led the Mario Kart botnet from 2017–2021, distributing malware via spam and infecting about 3,000 computers daily.
- The operation sent roughly 700,000 emails per day and provided a persistent backdoor for uploading additional malicious software.
- Operators sold access to compromised machines to other criminal groups, enabling ransomware extortion across 72 companies in 31 states.
- Angelov pleaded guilty, surrendered voluntarily, and received a reduced 61-month sentence plus a $100,000 fine and a $1.6 million money judgment.
- The case underscores DOJ efforts to target upstream access brokers and botnet operators who supply the infrastructure for large-scale ransomware campaigns.
Read More: https://thecyberexpress.com/head-of-russian-mario-kart-sentenced/