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Ukrainian Conti Ransomware Developer Sentenced to 4 Years in US Prison

Securityweek • September 11, 2026

A United States court sentenced Ukrainian national Oleksii Oleksiyovych Lytvynenko to four years in prison this week for his role in the Conti ransomware operation.

Lytvynenko, 44, was arrested in Ireland in 2023 and extradited to the United States in late 2025.

He pleaded guilty to wire fraud in June 2026, admitting to helping the Conti group develop malware and possessing stolen victim data. He faced up to 20 years in prison.

Authorities initially indicated that the Ukrainian man worked with the Conti group between 2020 and 2022, when the operation was shut down . However, at his guilty plea, Lytvynenko admitted joining the cybercrime gang in September 2021.

Lytvynenko helped the group develop a malware loader, but investigators also found victim data in his possession, suggesting that he may have also participated in the actual ransomware attacks.

Investigators determined that Lytvynenko remained involved in ransomware attacks even after the Conti operation ended, until his arrest.

The Conti ransomware gang is estimated to have received at least $150 million in ransom payments after encrypting victims’ files and threatening to leak stolen information unless they paid up.

Authorities said the hackers targeted organizations in more than 30 countries, including most US states.

Lytvynenko’s sentencing comes just months after Latvian national Deniss Zolotarjovs was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison in the US for his role as a Karakurt ransomware negotiator.

Last month, the US also announced that the Belarusian creator and administrator of the Ransom Cartel ransomware was sentenced to 16 years in prison .

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Eduard Kovacs (@EduardKovacs) is senior managing editor at SecurityWeek. He worked as a high school IT teacher before starting a career in journalism in 2011. Eduard holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial informatics and a master’s degree in computer techniques applied in electrical engineering.

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Ukrainian National Sentenced for Role in Conti Ransomware Operation Oleksii Oleksiyovych Lytvynenko, a 44-year-old Ukrainian national, was sentenced to four years in U.S. prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to the Conti ransomware operation. The Conti group infected over 1,000 victims worldwide, generating more than $150 million in ransom payments from 2020 to 2022. Lytvynenko was arrested in Ireland in July 2023 and extradited to the U.S. in 2025. He pleaded guilty in June 2026, admitting to developing malware and possessing stolen data from at least 12 victims. The Conti ransomware targeted various sectors, including critical infrastructure, schools, and businesses across 47 U.S. states and 31 countries. Despite the group's shutdown in 2022, Lytvynenko continued engaging in ransomware activities until his arrest. The case highlights ongoing international efforts to combat cybercrime. 12 sources 44

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Ukrainian Conti Ransomware Developer Sentenced to 4 Years in US Prison

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