A U.S. federal court sentenced Maksim Silnikau to 16 years in prison on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, for founding and running the Ransom Cartel ransomware operation. Silnikau, a 40-year-old Belarusian national, created and administered the scheme as part of an international cybercriminal enterprise, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
The Record reported that Silnikau had been engaged in cybercriminal activity for decades before the sentencing. The Ransom Cartel operation targeted victims across multiple countries, according to the Justice Department.