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Former Ransomware Negotiator Pleads Guilty in BlackCat Case

The case exposes a trusted adviser feeding hackers victims’ insurance limits to drive up payments.

Overview

  • Angelo Martino, who pleaded guilty Monday, admitted to a federal conspiracy charge and is set for sentencing on July 9 with a maximum of 20 years in prison.
  • Prosecutors say he worked as a negotiator for five victims yet leaked insurance caps and internal bargaining positions to BlackCat, which paid him for the tips.
  • Martino also joined Ryan Goldberg and Kevin Martin to deploy BlackCat ransomware from April to November 2023, with one victim paying about $1.2 million in Bitcoin.
  • Authorities report seizing about $10 million linked to Martino, including cryptocurrency, vehicles, a food truck, and a luxury fishing boat.
  • Goldberg and Martin pleaded guilty in December 2025 and face April 30 sentencing, as the DOJ points to earlier FBI actions that disrupted BlackCat and saved about $99 million with a decryption tool.