MalwarePublished 23 Sep 2026

Ryuk ransomware member sentenced to 24 months in prison

Source Bleeping Computer

ransomware

Description

An Armenian man was sentenced to 24 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for hacking U.S. companies and encrypting their systems in Ryuk ransomware attacks. [...]

Impact

The Ryuk ransomware attacks led to unauthorized access and encryption of systems across multiple U.S. companies, resulting in ransom payments exceeding $15 million. Victims included a Michigan company that paid over $1.1 million in bitcoin, a school in Texas, and a technology company in Oregon. The attacks disrupted operations by encrypting hundreds of servers and workstations. The financial impact was significant, with the Ryuk group collecting more than $150 million in ransoms at its peak.

Defensive guidance

This report concerns a criminal prosecution outcome rather than a software vulnerability or active exploit. No specific technical mitigation is applicable. Organizations should continue to follow best practices for ransomware defense, but no new remediation or patch is indicated by this information.

Summary

Karen Serobovich Vardanyan, also known as "Maneeken" or "Karl Lagerfeld," was sentenced for his role in Ryuk ransomware attacks against multiple U.S. organizations from March 2019 to June 2020. He gained initial access to corporate networks and deployed ransomware on hundreds of servers and workstations. The group received approximately 1,610 bitcoins in ransom payments, valued at over $15 million at the time. Ryuk operated as a ransomware-as-a-service from August 2018 until mid-2020, targeting various sectors including healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following Ryuk's shutdown, the cybercrime gang behind it transitioned to Conti ransomware, which later disbanded in 2022.

References

bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ryuk-ransomware-member-sentenced-to-24-months-in-prison/ (opens in a new tab)

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Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 23 Sep 2026, 08:32 UTC

References

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