UK Sentences Two Hackers Linked to $115 Million Crypto Ransom Scheme

Two men connected to the hacking group known as Scattered Spider have been sentenced to five years and six months in prison by a UK court, following their guilty pleas earlier this year. The sentencing was announced by the National Crime Agency and City of London Police after the men appeared at Woolwich Crown Court.

Group Linked to Major Attacks on UK and US Companies

Authorities say the Scattered Spider group was behind several high-profile ransomware and cryptocurrency extortion attacks. The group has been connected to a 2024 breach of London’s public transportation network, which resulted in nearly $39 million in losses and recovery costs. In the United States, prosecutors linked the group to collecting $115 million in crypto ransom payments from dozens of companies, along with a separate incident involving a major entertainment company that paid a $15 million ransom in Bitcoin after a data breach.

Investigators Traced Millions in Stolen Crypto

US officials say the group was tied to more than 120 computer network intrusions affecting businesses, critical infrastructure and even the federal court system. In 2024, the FBI seized roughly $36 million in cryptocurrency from wallets linked to the group as part of an ongoing investigation. Officials described the attacks as a significant and growing threat posed by increasingly bold cybercriminal networks.