The FBI has successfully seized criminal proceeds from the DarkSide group.
The organization seized the criminal proceeds from a bitcoin wallet that DarkSide ransomware actors used to collect a cyber-ransom payment from an unnamed victim.
Paul M. Abbate, FBI Deputy Director, said: “Based on our investigation into DarkSide, and incredible work with other US government partners, we identified a virtual currency wallet that the DarkSide actors used to collect a payment from a victim.
“Using law enforcement authorities, victim funds were seized from that wallet, preventing DarkSide actors from using them.
“We deprived a cybercriminal enterprise of the object of their activity – their financial proceeds and funding. For financially motivated cybercriminals, especially those presumably located overseas, cutting off access to revenue is one of the most impactful consequences we can impose.”
Abbate said that the FBI has identified more than 90 victims across multiple US critical infrastructure sectors including manufacturing, legal, insurance, health care and energy.
“Based on our investigation into DarkSide, and incredible work with other US government partners, we identified a virtual currency wallet that the DarkSide actors used to collect a payment from a victim,” he said.
“Using law enforcement authorities, victim funds were seized from that wallet, preventing DarkSide actors from using them.”
