"Zolotarjovs was a member of the group between June 2021 and March 2023, documents presented in court show. During that time, Karakurt hit at least 53 entities, causing $56 million in losses."
"As part of the group, Zolotarjovs did not execute intrusions, but he was directly involved in extortion strategies and in negotiating with victim organizations."
"In one instance, when a pediatric healthcare company did not immediately pay the ransom, Zolotarjovs helped escalate pressure on the victim and recommended publishing pediatric patient data online."
"Zolotarjovs received 10% of the negotiated ransom payments and was paid in cryptocurrency, which he moved through multiple wallets before exchanging for Russian rubles."
Deniss Zolotarjovs, a 35-year-old Latvian, was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison for his role in the Karakurt ransomware gang. He was arrested in Georgia in December 2023 and extradited to the US in August 2024, pleading guilty in July 2025. The Karakurt group, known for targeting various organizations and stealing sensitive information, caused $56 million in losses by hitting at least 53 entities. Zolotarjovs was involved in extortion strategies and ransom negotiations, receiving 10% of the ransom payments in cryptocurrency.
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