Armenian Hacker Extradited to U.S. After Ransomware Attacks on Tech Firms

An Armenian national has been extradited from Ukraine to the United States to face federal charges for his alleged involvement in a series of Ryuk ransomware attacks and an extortion conspiracy that targeted U.S. companies, including a technology firm in Oregon. The Ryuk ransomware has been a significant global threat, targeting thousands of victims across various sectors, including private industries, local municipalities, school districts, critical infrastructure, and healthcare providers. According to court documents, between March 2019 and September 2020, Vardanyan and his co-conspirators allegedly infiltrated the computer networks of numerous companies to deploy Ryuk ransomware. If convicted, Vardanyan faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for each count. Karen Serobovich Vardanyan, 33, was extradited to the U.S. on June 18, 2025, and is charged with conspiracy, fraud in connection with computers, and extortion. Vardanyan made his first appearance in a federal court on June 20, 2025, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

This Cyber News was published on cybersecuritynews.com. Publication date: Thu, 17 Jul 2025 14:20:15 +0000

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