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At least 8 REvil ransomware hackers pressed with criminal charges - Moscow court

REvil is considered to be one of the world’s most prominent cybercrime groups, having attacked Apple and the government of Texas

MOSCOW, January 15. /TASS/. At least eight REvil ransomware hackers detained by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) at the US request are currently pressed with charges in a criminal probe, Moscow’s Tverskoi Court told TASS on Saturday.

The Tverskoi court continues receiving materials on the suspects’ arrest, it said.

"At present, materials are either incoming or have already been examined with regard to Roman Muromsky, Andrey Bessonov and also the following individuals: Golovachuk M.A., Zayets A.N., Khansvyarov R.A., Korotayev D.V., Puzyrevsky D.D. and Malozemov A.V. Overall, the court has materials on eight individuals," the court said.

All the eight individuals are suspected of committing a crime stipulated under Part 2 of Article 187 of Russia’s Criminal Code (‘Illegal Circulation of Payments’). This crime is punishable with up to seven years in prison and a penalty of up to 1 million rubles (about $13,150).

The FSB reported on Friday that it had conducted an operation jointly with the Interior Ministry in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the Moscow, Leningrad and Lipetsk regions to detain members of the REvil criminal gang. Overall, the FSB raided the addresses of 14 REvil criminal group suspects. However, it is the investigation that will establish the complicity of each member in the crime.

The FSB started the investigation following information from "competent US agencies that notified about a criminal group leader and its involvement in attacks on IT resources of foreign high-tech companies by implanting malware, encrypting data and extorting money for its decryption."

REvil is considered to be one of the world’s most prominent cybercrime groups, having attacked Apple and the government of Texas, among other major targets.

The FSB earlier said it searched 25 places of residence of the 14 members of the group and seized more than 426 million rubles ($5.6 million) including denominated in cryptocurrency; $600,000; 500,000 euros; computer equipment, the crypto wallets that were used to perpetrate crimes, and 20 luxury cars that were purchased with illicitly obtained money. The suspects have been indicted.

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