U.S. prosecutors have charged three American cybersecurity professionals for allegedly operating a secret ransomware scheme that targeted companies across the country. According to an indictment filed in a federal court in Miami last month, the accused collaborated with the hacking group ALPHV BlackCat to encrypt corporate networks and extort millions of dollars in cryptocurrency from business owners.
Two of the suspects were identified as Ryan Goldberg and Kevin Martin. Prosecutors did not name the third individual. Authorities also withheld the identities of the affected firms, referring to them only as businesses based in California, Florida, Virginia, and Maryland that operate in various industries.
Court records show that Goldberg has been detained pending trial, while Martin has pleaded not guilty. Legal representatives for both individuals have declined to comment.
Martin was identified in online materials as a former employee of DigitalMint, a cybersecurity firm that specialises in ransomware and cybercrime incident response services. Goldberg was listed as an incident response manager at Sygnia, another cybersecurity company.
In a statement, DigitalMint confirmed that a former employee had been indicted for participating in ransomware activities, stating that he was “acting completely outside the scope of his employment.” The company clarified that it had no knowledge of the alleged crimes and noted that the unnamed third conspirator “may have also been a company employee.” DigitalMint added that it “has been and continues to be a cooperating witness in the investigation and not an investigative target.”
Sygnia also released a statement confirming that Goldberg had been dismissed “immediately upon learning of the situation.” The firm emphasised that it was not under investigation and was fully cooperating with law enforcement authorities.
The case underscores growing concerns about insider threats within the cybersecurity industry and highlights how skilled professionals can misuse their expertise for criminal purposes. The investigation remains ongoing.
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