Justice Department unveils charges against alleged LockBit developer | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"Rostislav Panev, a dual Russian-Israeli national, faces charges for his alleged role in developing ransomware for the LockBit group,\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/lockbit-ransomware-developer-rostislav-panev-charges\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Justice Department unveils charges against alleged LockBit developer\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Rostislav Panev, a dual Russian-Israeli national, faces charges for his alleged role in developing ransomware for the LockBit group,\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/lockbit-ransomware-developer-rostislav-panev-charges\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" 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data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"416\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/justice-department-unveils-charges-against-alleged-lockbit-developer.jpg?resize=640%2C416&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/justice-department-unveils-charges-against-alleged-lockbit-developer-2.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/justice-department-unveils-charges-against-alleged-lockbit-developer-2.jpg?resize=300,195 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/justice-department-unveils-charges-against-alleged-lockbit-developer-2.jpg?resize=768,499 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/justice-department-unveils-charges-against-alleged-lockbit-developer-2.jpg?resize=1024,665 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/justice-department-unveils-charges-against-alleged-lockbit-developer-2.jpg?resize=1536,998 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/justice-department-unveils-charges-against-alleged-lockbit-developer-2.jpg?resize=600,390 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/justice-department-unveils-charges-against-alleged-lockbit-developer-2.jpg?resize=259,168 259w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/justice-department-unveils-charges-against-alleged-lockbit-developer-2.jpg?resize=519,337 519w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/justice-department-unveils-charges-against-alleged-lockbit-developer-2.jpg?resize=1039,675 1039w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/justice-department-unveils-charges-against-alleged-lockbit-developer-2.jpg?resize=1298,843 1298w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1039px) 100vw, 1039px\"><figcaption> The Department of Justice seal is seen on a lectern ahead of a press conference announcing efforts against computer hacking and extortion at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC on November 28, 2018. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN\/AFP via Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"30.745387954422\"><body readability=\"61.588740458015\"><\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Department of Justice revealed charges Friday against Rostislav Panev, a dual Russian and Israeli national, for his alleged role as a developer in the notorious LockBit ransomware group. Panev was arrested in Israel following a U.S. provisional arrest request and is <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/rostislav-panev-lockbit-israel-extradition\/\">currently awaiting extradition<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Authorities allege that Panev has been an instrumental figure in LockBit\u2019s operations since its inception in 2019. As a developer, Panev is accused of designing malware code and maintaining the infrastructure used by gang members and its affiliates to conduct its attacks. LockBit has been tied to over 2,500 attacks in 120 countries, extracting more than $500 million in ransom payments and causing billions in losses to victims, including businesses, hospitals, and government agencies.<\/p>\n<p>The arrest is part of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk\/news\/nca-leads-international-investigation-targeting-worlds-most-harmful-ransomware-group\">a broader campaign<\/a> by international law enforcement agencies to dismantle LockBit. In February, a coordinated operation led by the U.K.\u2019s National Crime Agency in cooperation with the FBI and the U.S. Justice Department disrupted LockBit\u2019s infrastructure, seizing websites and servers critical to its operations. These efforts significantly curtailed the group\u2019s ability to launch further attacks and extort victims.<\/p>\n<p>Panev is one of several individuals charged in connection with LockBit. Alongside him, other key figures have been indicted, including <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?s=Khoroshev#:~:text=US%2C%20UK%20authorities%20unmask%20Russian%20national%20as%20LockBit%20administrator\">Dmitry Khoroshev<\/a>, alleged to be \u201cLockBitSupp,\u201d the group\u2019s primary creator and administrator. Khoroshev, still at large, is accused of developing the ransomware and coordinating attacks on an international scale. The State Department has offered a reward of up to $10 million for his capture.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Meanwhile, numerous members linked to LockBit remain fugitives, <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/us-uk-authorities-unmask-russian-national-as-lockbit-administrator\/\">such as Russian nationals Artur Sungatov and Ivan Kondratyev<\/a>, each facing charges for deploying ransomware against multiple industries globally. Mikhail Matveev, another alleged LockBit affiliate, is also at large, with a $10 million reward for his capture. Matveev was <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/mikhail-matveev-wazawaka-russia-charges\/\">recently charged with computer crimes<\/a> in Russia. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs alleged by the complaint, Rostislav Panev for years built and maintained the digital weapons that enabled his LockBit coconspirators to wreak havoc and cause billions of dollars in damage around the world,\u201d said Philip Sellinger, the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. \u201cBut just like the six other LockBit members previously identified and charged by this office and our FBI and Criminal Division partners, Panev could not remain anonymous and avoid justice indefinitely. He must now answer for his crimes. Today\u2019s announcement represents another blow struck by the United States and our international partners against the LockBit organization, and our efforts will continue relentlessly until the group is fully dismantled and its members brought to justice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Panev\u2019s lawyer, Sharon Nahari, told Israeli news outlet Ynet earlier this week that Panev was neither aware of nor complicit in the alleged schemes. An extradition hearing for Panev will be held in Israel next month. <\/p>\n<p>You can read the full criminal complaint against Panev <a href=\"https:\/\/content.govdelivery.com\/attachments\/USDOJOPA\/2024\/12\/20\/file_attachments\/3110086\/Panev%20Superseding%20Complaint%20508.pdf\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p> <\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"4.2171903881701\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"14\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/justice-department-unveils-charges-against-alleged-lockbit-developer-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Greg Otto\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Greg Otto<\/h4>\n<p> Greg Otto is Editor-in-Chief of CyberScoop, overseeing all editorial content for the website. Greg has led cybersecurity coverage that has won various awards, including accolades from the Society of Professional Journalists and the American Society of Business Publication Editors. Prior to joining Scoop News Group, Greg worked for the Washington Business Journal, U.S. News & World Report and WTOP Radio. 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{"id":6714,"date":"2024-12-20T12:57:28","date_gmt":"2024-12-20T18:57:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=82968"},"modified":"2024-12-20T12:57:28","modified_gmt":"2024-12-20T18:57:28","slug":"justice-department-unveils-charges-against-alleged-lockbit-developer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2024\/12\/20\/justice-department-unveils-charges-against-alleged-lockbit-developer\/","title":{"rendered":"Justice Department unveils charges against alleged LockBit developer"},"content":{"rendered":"