Members of the REvil ransomware group were arrested in 2022 in connection with multiple cybercrimes. The clash about the REvil court case has seen it move from the military court to the civil court and then back to the former. The latest REvil arrest update states that the suspects of cybercrime held in custody will be tried by the military court. The arrested REvil members who are in custody in Russian barracks include a military service officer, who committed the cybercrimes while serving the military.
A translated report by the Rapsi News about the arrested REvil members read, “The decision to return the case of the hacker group REvil to the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation has been canceled.”
Debate About the REvil Court Case
The defendant of the military serviceman tried to take the case to the military, however, it was denied in August 2023. The REvil court case was then returned to the Prosecutor General’s Office because it violated the investigative jurisdiction rule.
A report addressing the REvil court case addressed the same by stating, “One of the defendants, Artem Zayets, committed the crime while he was in military service, which means that the preliminary investigation against him and other members of the group should have been carried out by investigators from the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, and not the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.”
The REvil cybercrime case was sent back to the St. Petersburg Garrison Military Court in October 2023.
Details About the Arrested REvil Members
The REvil ransomware group members were arrested after receiving a tip from the United States last year. The Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia acted upon the information provided by US law enforcement agencies about the leader of the REvil ransomware group.
The FSB raided 25 locations to arrest 14 individuals suspected of participating in cybercrimes under the REvil ransomware-as-a-service operation. The group had ceased to exist, announced Russia’s intelligence bureau, the FSB following the arrest and other actions.
Among the arrested REvil members were senior reserve warrant officer Artem Zaets, Alexey Malozemov, Andrey Bessonov, Mikhail Golovachuk, Roman Muromsky, Dmitry Korotaev, Daniil Puzyrevsky and Ruslan Khansvyarov. “All of them are accused of being money mules and charged with illegal circulation of funds,” read a tweet by Azim Khodjibaev, CTI Researchers, Talos Security.
14 individuals have been arrested by the FSB of Russia among whom eight will appear in court.
The REvil ransomware members were not extradited to the US.
Data Heist, Car Purchase and More by REvil Ransomware Group
During the REvil ransomware group disruption, the FSB seized over 426 million Rubles or £4m. They also found £440,000 worth of crypto-currency.
Besides the monetary find, the Russian authorities also confiscated 20 luxury cars REvil members purchased with the money they obtained through ransomware attacks.
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