(Reuters) – Prosecutors said three American cybersecurity professionals secretly ran a ransomware operation targeting companies across the United States.

Only two of the three individuals Ryan Goldberg and Kevin Martin were publicly identified. According to an indictment filed last month in federal court in Miami, they collaborated with the notorious hacking group ALPHV BlackCat to encrypt corporate networks and attempt to extort millions of dollars in cryptocurrency from company owners.

The news was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times on Sunday.

Goldberg has been detained ahead of trial, while Martin pleaded not guilty, court records show. Lawyers for both declined to comment. Authorities did not disclose the names of affected companies, describing them only as firms operating in various industries across California, Florida, Virginia, and Maryland.

Martin was identified in online course descriptions as a former employee of cybersecurity firm DigitalMint, which provides cybercrime and ransomware incident response services. Goldberg was listed by an online course provider as an incident response manager at Sygnia, another cybersecurity firm.

DigitalMint confirmed in a statement that a former employee had been indicted for participating in ransomware operations, emphasizing he was “acting completely outside the scope of his employment” and that the company had no knowledge of the activity. The statement noted that the third, unnamed co-conspirator “may have also been a company employee.” DigitalMint added that it “has been and continues to be a cooperating witness in the investigation and not an investigative target.”

Sygnia said Goldberg was terminated “immediately upon learning of the situation,” that the firm was not the target of the investigation, and that it is fully cooperating with law enforcement.

Follow Our WhatsApp Channel ______________________________________________________________________ [A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation ______________________________________________________________________ ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR LAWYERS: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE Reimagine your practice with the power of AI “...this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic.” — Ohio Books Ltd Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe, Esq., ACIArb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director, Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria. Bonus: Get a FREE eBook titled “How to Use the AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion” with every purchase.

How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌐 Website: www.benadigwe.com

Ebook Version: Access directly online at: https://selar.com/prv626

________________________________________________________________________ The Law And Practice Of Redundancy In Nigeria: A Practitioner’s Guide, Authored By A Labour & Employment Law Expert Bimbo Atilola _______________________________________________________________________ New Year Promo: Get Five Maritime Law Books For N150,000 — 63% Discount The promotion, which commenced on January 8 and runs until February 8, 2026, offers five core maritime law books authored by Dr. Emeka Akabogu, SAN, ordinarily valued at N405,000, for just N150,000 — a 63% discount. Interested buyers can place their orders through the following channels: Phone: 0704 329 3271 Online Store: https://paystack.shop/aa-bookstore Website: www.akabogulaw.com ______________________________________________________________________