A federal judge sentenced Latvian national Deniss Zolotarjovs to 102 months in prison for his role pressuring victims and facilitating ransomware extortions tied to former Conti leaders between 2021 and 2023. The crew, operating under multiple names including Conti, Karakurt and Royal, extorted nearly $16 million in confirmed ransoms, leaked sensitive data—including pediatric health records—and caused extensive financial and personal harm to victims worldwide. #DenissZolotarjovs #Conti
Keypoints
- Deniss Zolotarjovs was sentenced to 102 months for participating in ransomware operations from June 2021 to August 2023.
- He pressured victims and encouraged leaking or selling stolen data, including pediatric health records disclosed to hundreds of patients.
- The criminal crew used multiple monikers—Conti, Karakurt, Royal, Akira, TommyLeaks and SchoolBoys—and extorted nearly $16 million in confirmed ransom payments.
- Zolotarjovs was arrested in Georgia in December 2023, extradited to the U.S. in August 2024, and pleaded guilty to money laundering and wire fraud in July 2025.
- Authorities say the group included former Russian law enforcement, operated internationally, and caused hundreds of millions in estimated losses while targeting critical infrastructure and government entities.
Read More: https://cyberscoop.com/latvian-russia-ransomware-conti-sentenced/