Rostislav Panev, a dual Russian-Israeli national, has been charged in the U.S. for allegedly developing the LockBit ransomware since 2019, earning over $230,000 from its operations. Arrested in Israel in August 2024, Panev admitted to coding malware features, such as disabling antivirus and printing ransom notes, for the group, which targeted over 2,500 entities globally. Despite setbacks, LockBit plans a new version release in 2025. Separately, NetWalker ransomware affiliate Daniel Hulea was sentenced to 20 years for COVID-era attacks, and Raccoon Stealer developer Mark Sokolovsky received 5 years for offering malware-as-a-service. Additionally, NYC resident Vitalii Antonenko was sentenced for credit card trafficking and money laundering linked to stolen data.