A dual Canadian-Russian national, Mikhail Vasiliev, was arrested in Bradford, Ontario, for bieng an active meber of LockBit Ransomware group. Vasiliev now faces extradition to the United States, where he is charged with conspiracy to commit computer crimes.
LockBit, is one of the most prolific ransomware groups since its emergence in 2020, it has been targeting critical infrastructure and large industrial groups and business worldwide.
The arrest, which took place in October 2022, involved collaboration between Canadian authorities and international partners like the FBI, Europol, and French National Gendarmerie.
During the raid, evidence linking Vasiliev to LockBit was discovered, including open web browser tabs referencing “LockBit Login” and data suggesting his involvement in deploying the ransomware and targeting Linux systems. This operation also resulted in the seizure of firearms, computers, hard drives, and a substantial amount of cryptocurrency, potentially tied to ransomware activities.
Vasiliev now faces extradition to the United States on conspiracy charges related to deploying LockBit’s powerful ransomware-as-a-service infrastructure that has impacted thousands of victims worldwide. The criminal complaint filed in New Jersey outlines evidence of Vasiliev’s direct communications with LockBit administrators on the Tox encrypted platform to obtain the malware code and instructions for carrying out attacks.
