Russian Hacker, Crypto Thief Worth IDR 2.9 Trillion Successfully Arrested By US Authorities

The figure of Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev, a Russian hacker being hunted by the US government. (Photo; Doc. State Gov)

JAKARTA - Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev, a hacker from Russia, was charged with stealing cryptocurrencies by utilizing ransomware attacks and successfully stealing 200 million US dollars worth of crypto money (approximately IDR 2.9 trillion).

The illegal funds were not only taken by Matveev but were also distributed to other fellow hackers. The victims of the ransomware attack included schools, police departments, and hospitals.

The man from Russia was involved in three ransomware groups, namely Lockbit, Hive, and Babuk. According to the US Department of Justice (DOJ), the groups previously demanded more than 400 million US dollars or IDR 5.9 trillion from a number of government agencies.

DOJ revealed that Matveev uses several pseudonyms in the online world including, m1X, Wazawaka, Uhodiransomwa, and Boriselcin.

"This aspect of international crime requires a coordinated response," said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. from the US Department of Justice's Criminal Division in a DOJ statement.

"We will not refrain from imposing consequences on the most horrific cybercriminals," added Polite.

Several crimes allegedly committed by Mateev include helping to spread Babuk ransomware against Washington's Metropolitan Police Department, DC in April 2021, as well as a non-profit health care organization in New Jersey in May 2022.

In the first case, the perpetrator and his colleagues threatened to disclose sensitive information to the public unless payments were made. Babuk ransomware perpetrators have carried out at least 65 attacks worldwide since December 2020, with payment demands of 49 million US dollars (Rp730 billion), and received at least 13 million US dollars (Rp193 billion).

Quoting Bloomberg, in January 2022, cybersecurity journalist Brian Krebs reported that Mateev claims to have affiliated with the Darkside ransomware group. Darkside is responsible for a ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline in 2021, which generates 63.7 Bitcoin (BTC) in forced payments.