French police arrest Russian pro basketball player on behalf of US over ransomware suspicions | CyberScoop<\/title> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/russian-basketball-player-daniil-kasatkin-arrested-france-ransomware-charges-penn-state\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"French police arrest Russian pro basketball player on behalf of US over ransomware suspicions\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Daniil Kasatkin played briefly for Penn State University. It\u2019s the second European arrest on cyber allegations at the request of the United States to be revealed this week.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/russian-basketball-player-daniil-kasatkin-arrested-france-ransomware-charges-penn-state\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cyberscoop\/\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-07-10T14:38:05+00:00\"> <meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-10T14:38:08+00:00\"> <meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/french-police-arrest-russian-pro-basketball-player-on-behalf-of-us-over-ransomware-suspicions-2.jpg\"> <meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\"> <meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"804\"> <meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\"> <meta name=\"author\" content=\"Tim Starks\"> <meta 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readability=\"4.9180327868852\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__info js-sticky-bar-content\" readability=\"32\">\n<p>Voting is open for the 2025 CyberScoop 50 awards!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <a class=\"stickybar__link button button-tertiary\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cyberscoop50\/\">Click here!<\/a> <\/div>\n<p> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.631147540984\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"34.438177874187\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/russian-basketball-player-daniil-kasatkin-arrested-france-ransomware-charges-penn-state\/\"> <span>Cybercrime<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> Daniil Kasatkin played briefly for Penn State University. It\u2019s the second European arrest on cyber allegations at the request of the United States to be revealed this week. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/85133\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"429\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/french-police-arrest-russian-pro-basketball-player-on-behalf-of-us-over-ransomware-suspicions.jpg?resize=640%2C429&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/french-police-arrest-russian-pro-basketball-player-on-behalf-of-us-over-ransomware-suspicions-2.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/french-police-arrest-russian-pro-basketball-player-on-behalf-of-us-over-ransomware-suspicions-2.jpg?resize=300,201 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/french-police-arrest-russian-pro-basketball-player-on-behalf-of-us-over-ransomware-suspicions-2.jpg?resize=768,515 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/french-police-arrest-russian-pro-basketball-player-on-behalf-of-us-over-ransomware-suspicions-2.jpg?resize=1024,686 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/french-police-arrest-russian-pro-basketball-player-on-behalf-of-us-over-ransomware-suspicions-2.jpg?resize=600,402 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/french-police-arrest-russian-pro-basketball-player-on-behalf-of-us-over-ransomware-suspicions-2.jpg?resize=251,168 251w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/french-police-arrest-russian-pro-basketball-player-on-behalf-of-us-over-ransomware-suspicions-2.jpg?resize=503,337 503w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/french-police-arrest-russian-pro-basketball-player-on-behalf-of-us-over-ransomware-suspicions-2.jpg?resize=1007,675 1007w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1007px) 100vw, 1007px\"><figcaption> Daniil Kasatkin at the FIBA World Championships in 2019. Kasatkin has been detained in France on suspicion of working for a ransomware group. (FIBA) <\/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=\"23.094262295082\"><body readability=\"48.107714701601\"><\/p>\n<p>At the request of the United States, French police arrested a professional Russian basketball player who had a brief tenure at Penn State over accusations that he was part of a ransomware ring, according to overseas reports.<\/p>\n<p>News of the arrest of Daniil Kasatkin came in a court in Paris on Wednesday. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.themoscowtimes.com\/2025\/07\/10\/russian-basketball-player-arrested-in-france-at-request-of-united-states-a89756\">His lawyer denied<\/a> to foreign press that he was part of any ransomware ring.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s already the second time this week that news broke about European authorities arresting someone on behalf of the United States, following <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/italian-authorities-arrest-chinese-man-over-microsoft-exchange-server-hack-targeting-of-covid-19-researchers\/\">the arrest in Italy<\/a> of a Chinese national accused of being part of the big hack of Microsoft Exchange Server years ago.<\/p>\n<p>Kasatkin is allegedly part of a hacking outfit that the news outlets did not name, but that American investigators believe has attacked 900 institutions, including two U.S. federal entities, between 2020 and 2022. Authorities said he negotiated ransomware payments on behalf of the ring.<\/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>Police reportedly arrested him when he arrived at the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport with his newly proposed-to fiancee on June 21, and has been in extradition custody since. A French attorney said he was innocent.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe bought a used computer. He did absolutely nothing wrong. He\u2019s shocked,\u201d his lawyer, Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric B\u00e9lot, told Agence-France Presse. \u201cHe\u2019s useless with computers. He can\u2019t even install an app. He didn\u2019t touch anything on this computer. It was either hacked, or sold to him by a hacker who wanted to pass himself off as someone else.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He has lost weight in prison and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lemonde.fr\/international\/article\/2025\/07\/09\/piraterie-informatique-un-basketteur-russe-arrete-et-place-en-detention-en-france-a-la-demande-des-etats-unis_6620247_3210.html\">doesn\u2019t feel safe<\/a> there because of the Russian conflict with Ukraine, B\u00e9lot said.<\/p>\n<p>Kasatkin played three games for the Penn State Nittany Lions during the 2018-19 season, averaging 0.3 points, 0.3 assists and 0.7 personal fouls and graduating from the university. He had a bigger role with his most recent team, Moscow\u2019s MBA-MBAI, averaging 6 points last season. The team <a href=\"https:\/\/meduza.io\/en\/news\/2025\/07\/10\/at-u-s-request-france-jails-russian-basketball-player-daniil-kasatkin-on-suspicion-of-ransomware-conspiracy\">announced his departure<\/a> July 3 after four years with the club. <\/p>\n<p>The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"7.7216117216117\">\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\/2025\/07\/french-police-arrest-russian-pro-basketball-player-on-behalf-of-us-over-ransomware-suspicions-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Tim Starks\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-card__details\" readability=\"10.901098901099\">\n<h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Tim Starks<\/h4>\n<p> Tim Starks is senior reporter at CyberScoop. His previous stops include working at The Washington Post, POLITICO and Congressional Quarterly. An Evansville, Ind. native, he’s covered cybersecurity since 2003. Email Tim here: <a href=\"mailto:tim.starks@cyberscoop.com\">tim.starks@cyberscoop.com<\/a>. <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div 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{"id":7790,"date":"2025-07-10T09:38:05","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T14:38:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=85133"},"modified":"2025-07-10T09:38:05","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T14:38:05","slug":"french-police-arrest-russian-pro-basketball-player-on-behalf-of-us-over-ransomware-suspicions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2025\/07\/10\/french-police-arrest-russian-pro-basketball-player-on-behalf-of-us-over-ransomware-suspicions\/","title":{"rendered":"French police arrest Russian pro basketball player on behalf of US over ransomware suspicions"},"content":{"rendered":"