The UK, US, and Australia have announced sanctions against 16 individuals accused of being part of the most wanted cybercrime gang in the world, Evil Corp. The Russia-based group is alleged to have stolen around $300 million over nearly a decade of hacking operations.
The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has revealed that the gang’s leader, Maksim Yakubets, was supported by his father, Viktor Yakubets, despite previous denials. This information was disclosed as part of a multinational effort to disrupt Evil Corp and another hacking group called LockBit.
Evil Corp is known for its mafia-style operations and has conducted destructive cyber-attacks worldwide for over a decade. In 2019, Maksim Yakubets was sanctioned, and a $5 million bounty was placed on his arrest, along with another individual named Igor Turashev.
The sanctions also targeted other Russian individuals, including Yakubets’ brother, Artem. The NCA’s investigations have linked Eduard Benderskiy, a former high-ranking FSB official and Maksim’s father-in-law, to Evil Corp.
Additionally, Aleksandr Ryzhenkov, described as Maksim’s right-hand man, was sanctioned for his connections to the ransomware gang LockBit. This marks the first time a member of Evil Corp has been linked to another major cybercrime group.
Four arrests were made in connection with the sanctions, including two in the UK. The NCA executed search warrants and arrested individuals suspected of being linked to LockBit affiliates. The agency emphasized the extensive investigations into these cybercrime groups and their harmful activities.
The NCA’s actions have exposed Evil Corp’s links to the Russian state, prompting foreign secretary David Lammy to send a clear message to the Kremlin that Russian cyber-attacks will not be tolerated. The sanctions and arrests demonstrate a concerted effort to disrupt and bring to justice those involved in these criminal activities.
