The U.S. Department of Justice revealed charges Friday against Rostislav Panev, a dual Russian and Israeli national, for his alleged role as a developer in the notorious LockBit ransomware group. Panev was arrested in Israel following a U.S. provisional arrest request and is currently awaiting extradition.
Authorities allege that Panev has been an instrumental figure in LockBit’s operations since its inception in 2019. As a developer, Panev is accused of designing malware code and maintaining the infrastructure used by gang members and its affiliates to conduct its attacks. LockBit has been tied to over 2,500 attacks in 120 countries, extracting more than $500 million in ransom payments and causing billions in losses to victims, including businesses, hospitals, and government agencies.
The arrest is part of a broader campaign by international law enforcement agencies to dismantle LockBit. In February, a coordinated operation led by the U.K.’s National Crime Agency in cooperation with the FBI and the U.S. Justice Department disrupted LockBit’s infrastructure, seizing websites and servers critical to its operations. These efforts significantly curtailed the group’s ability to launch further attacks and extort victims.
Panev is one of several individuals charged in connection with LockBit. Alongside him, other key figures have been indicted, including Dmitry Khoroshev, alleged to be “LockBitSupp,” the group’s primary creator and administrator. Khoroshev, still at large, is accused of developing the ransomware and coordinating attacks on an international scale. The State Department has offered a reward of up to $10 million for his capture.
Meanwhile, numerous members linked to LockBit remain fugitives, such as Russian nationals Artur Sungatov and Ivan Kondratyev, each facing charges for deploying ransomware against multiple industries globally. Mikhail Matveev, another alleged LockBit affiliate, is also at large, with a $10 million reward for his capture. Matveev was recently charged with computer crimes in Russia.
“As alleged by the complaint, Rostislav Panev for years built and maintained the digital weapons that enabled his LockBit coconspirators to wreak havoc and cause billions of dollars in damage around the world,” said Philip Sellinger, the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. “But just like the six other LockBit members previously identified and charged by this office and our FBI and Criminal Division partners, Panev could not remain anonymous and avoid justice indefinitely. He must now answer for his crimes. Today’s announcement represents another blow struck by the United States and our international partners against the LockBit organization, and our efforts will continue relentlessly until the group is fully dismantled and its members brought to justice.”
Panev’s lawyer, Sharon Nahari, told Israeli news outlet Ynet earlier this week that Panev was neither aware of nor complicit in the alleged schemes. An extradition hearing for Panev will be held in Israel next month.
You can read the full criminal complaint against Panev here.
