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Zurich Prosecutor Seeks Long Prison Sentence for Hacker

Bluewin.Ch • August 17, 2026

A suspected hacker is set to appear in Zurich District Court today. The prosecution accuses him of extorting companies. (File photo)

"I have never developed malware or participated in attacks," the defendant said in court on Monday. He explained that the source code for such programs on his devices came from a client in the IT security sector for whom he had worked as a consultant.

The Zurich Public Prosecutor’s Office is seeking a 12-year prison sentence for the Ukrainian software developer, as well as a deportation order of the same duration. He is accused of being a key developer of criminal ransomware such as “Lockergoga.” Among the victims in Switzerland are Stadler Rail, Meier Tobler, and Crealogix. The indictment lists additional companies abroad that were also affected.

The defense requested that additional case files from other proceedings be submitted and questioned the admissibility of the digital evidence. It argued that there was no complete documentation of the raw data that had been secured.

The encryption and service disruptions caused millions in damages to the affected companies. The defendant has been in custody since October 2021.

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Zurich Prosecutor Seeks 12-Year Sentence for Ransomware Developer Linked to Russian Strategy A Ukrainian software developer accused of extorting companies through ransomware is facing trial in Zurich. The prosecution claims he was a key developer of the 'Lockergoga' ransomware, which targeted firms like Stadler Rail and Crealogix, causing millions in damages. The defendant, who has been in custody since October 2021, denies developing malware, stating the source code on his devices was from a client in IT security. The prosecutor argues that ransomware attacks are part of a broader Russian strategy to destabilize Western companies, although no direct links to Russian intelligence have been established. The trial has garnered significant media attention, with strict security measures in place at the courthouse. 2 sources 55

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Zurich Prosecutor Seeks Long Prison Sentence for Hacker

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Attack Types (1)

Companies (3)

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Malware (1)

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