Ukrainian Hacker Pleads Guilty: Nefilim Ransomware Plot Unravels, Faces 10 Years in US Prison
Ukrainian national Artem Stryzhak pleads guilty in the US to charges involving Nefilim ransomware attacks. Arrested in Spain and extradited, he faces up to 10 years in prison. Authorities say he was a Nefilim ransomware affiliate, launching cyberattacks on major companies worldwide. His co-conspirator remains at large with an $11 million reward.
Hot Take:
When life gives you lemons, you don’t make ransomware! Yet, here we are. Artem Aleksandrovych Stryzhak decided to take a bite of the forbidden apple of cybercrime—and now he’s biting that same apple from the inside of a jail cell. He’s set to become a cautionary tale for anyone thinking, “What’s the worst that could happen if I dabble in a little ransomware?” Spoiler alert: 10 years is the answer.
Key Points:
- 35-year-old Artem Aleksandrovych Stryzhak pleaded guilty to charges related to Nefilim ransomware attacks.
- Stryzhak was arrested in Spain in 2024 and extradited to the US in 2025.
- He’s facing up to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit computer fraud.
- Nefilim ransomware affiliates, like Stryzhak, targeted companies with revenues over $200 million.
- Co-conspirator Volodymyr Tymoshchuk remains at large with an $11 million bounty.
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