Ransomware negotiator recruited by BlackCat ransomware gang pleads guilty to 2023 attacks, faces 20 years in prison

• A Florida-based negotiator hired to assist ransomware victims secretly aided BlackCat attackers and even deployed ransomware himself
• Prosecutors revealed he shared confidential client information, conspired with accomplices, and laundered over $1 million in Bitcoin
• All three defendants pleaded guilty, with sentencing dates set for mid‑2026 and potential prison terms of up to 20 years

A cybersecurity professional hired by ransomware victims to negotiate with the attackers, admitted to actually helping the threat actors, as well as to deploying ransomware himself, it was reported earlier this week.

According to a press release published by the US Department of Justice, Angelo Martino, 41, of Land O'Lakes, Florida, was hired in 2023 by five different companies to help negotiate the release of the decryption key and stolen files, with the operators of the infamous BlackCat ransomware.

Instead of doing that, Martino shared sensitive insider information with the crooks, helping them maximize their demands:“Martino provided BlackCat attackers with confidential information about the negotiating position and strategy of his company’s clients without the clients’ or his employer’s knowledge or permission,” the DOJ said. “This confidential information assisted the ransomware actors and maximized the ransoms that the victims were required to pay. The confidential information included the victims’ insurance policy limits and internal negotiation positions.”

Looking at 20 years of jail time

Martino was awarded for his efforts by the BlackCat gang.

This is the latest development in the case that was first reported in November 2025. Back then, a US federal indictment was filed in the Southern District of Florida against two defendants - Ryan Clifford Goldberg of Georgia, and Kevin Tyler Martin of Texas, and a third, unnamed co-conspirator (who we now know was Martino), stating that the trio hacked into company networks, stole data, encrypted it with ALPHV (BlackCat) ransomware, and demanded cryptocurrency ransoms.

At the time, it was reported that Martin and Martino both worked at DigitalMint, while Goldberg was a former Sygnia incident response manager.

Martino also admitted to conspiring with Goldberg and Martin to deploy BlackCat against multiple US-based victims, bringing in, and later laundering, roughly $1.2 million in Bitcoin. The DoJ said that so far it seized $10 million in assets from Martino, including digital currency, vehicles, a food truck, and a luxury fishing boat that Martino obtained through criminal activity.

All three pleaded guilty. Martin and Goldberg expect to be sentenced later this month, while Martino is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9, 2026. All three are facing punishment of up to 20 years in prison.

Via The Hacker News

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