US Offers Up To $15 Million For Information on LockBit Leaders

A day after the U.S., UK and EU said they had disrupted the ransomware group LockBit, the State Department said the U.S. is offering a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the identification or location of the leaders of the ransomware group.

Dialing for Dollars

[nsaspook]

The rats are heading to the phones.

If they actually paid the rewards, maybe.

[MIPSPro]

Maybe. The State Department has a long history of not paying [theguardian.com] the rewards it promises folks. It's also a bit like finding a wounded animal. You might want to help, but that animal will still bite you for getting too close. In the same way, Justice or the State Dept might perceive the informant as being too close to the criminal activity and decide instead to simply prosecute you. I think their behavior in the last few years probably has most rats pretty nervous.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

In the same way, Justice or the State Dept might perceive the informant as being too close to the criminal activity and decide instead to simply prosecute you.

Did you read your article? The "informant" was a near the very top of a drug ring.

Re:

[NotEmmanuelGoldstein]

The "informant" was a near the very top of a drug ring.

So, the informant doesn't get the protection of civil law? That's called a "slippery slope". You really think some lowly crime-gang grunt will declare that slippery slope won't include him? The USA has shot themselves in the foot in their 'war on drugs'.

In this case, it's easy to see the informant was using the US to eliminate the boss, a goal the US will happily enable for non-drug-cartel wars.

The USA doesn't get respect because the informant is just as bad as person being caught. If the State depa

Re:

[MIPSPro]

Soo, it's an example of exactly what I said it was. This is me:

Justice or the State Dept might perceive the informant as being too close to the criminal activity and decide instead to simply prosecute you

So, yeah, since I already stated that's exactly what they'd do and then provided evidence they do it, I guess that leaves only one of us with any evidence of reading comprehension skills, Coward.

Get the ginsu hellfires ready

[daninaustin]

The penalties for this sort of thing are not severe enough...

Re:

[Njovich]

Pretty sure that will be a life in prison... if they get caught..

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[NicknameUnavailable]

So extracting more money from US citizens instead of just killing them? Yeah, not extreme enough. Add call center scammers and spammers to the list too.

Main one is Vladimir P.

[Lavandera]

Moscow resident but has residencies in couple other locations...

Excellent

[gweihir]

Still peanuts compared to the damage done, but finally real money.

Identification or location?

[bagofbeans]

BS lede.

"...the State Department said the U.S. is offering a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the identification or location of the leaders of the ransomware group."

is not

"...the State Department said it would offer up to $15 million for information leading to the arrests and convictions of the leaders of the ransomware group."

Re:

[OtisSnerd]

That's weird, TFA looks like poor and confusing reporting by Reuters, which has both statements.

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[mjwx]

BS lede.

"...the State Department said the U.S. is offering a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the identification or location of the leaders of the ransomware group."

is not

"...the State Department said it would offer up to $15 million for information leading to the arrests and convictions of the leaders of the ransomware group."

The second one is kind of implied, the bit I'd be more concerned about is the "up to" part. $5 is "up to" $15 million

Re:

[IWantMoreSpamPlease]

You are not wrong...plus knowing where and who they are will probably get you on a watch list at the very minimum...

Re:

[nsaspook]

Yes, it's a trap but $5 and a federal cell in the US is better than being a newly-wed jail-cell bride in Poland.

How precise we talking?

[Junta]

I declare the leaders to be located on Earth. It says "location or identity", so I went for location.

How much of the $15 million does that get me?

I know who did it

[kmoser]

I will tell you the identities of the Bitcoin scammers as soon as you deposit USD $15 million in Bitcoin to my wallet at the following address...

Three words that should also be there...

[sabbede]

"Dead or alive".