Cybercriminal joins EU's 'most wanted' list

A Ukrainian man suspected of involvement in a string of high-value ransomware attacks has been added to the EU's most wanted list, with a $10m reward offered for information leading to his arrest.

Volodymyr Tymoshchuk (28; pictured above) has been accused of participating in the deployment of the LockerGoga ransomware on hundreds of victim companies, which saw their activities disrupted and were forced to pay a ransom.

The group's activities are estimated to have caused more than $18bn in damage worldwide, with high-profile cases including an attack on Norwegian aluminium company Norsk Hydro in 2019 that cost it more than $70 million to resolve.

Tymoshchuk is wanted in connection with an investigation into computer-related crime, participation in a criminal organisation, and racketeering and extortion, according to his entry on the Europol list. He is the only person on the list to be sought for computer-related crimes.

"The identification of the suspect follows a complex international investigation, supported by Europol, into this ransomware network causing global damages worth billions," said the police organisation in a statement.

"As part of this investigation, several members of the criminal network have already been arrested in Ukraine," it added. "Law enforcement has mapped the structure of the group, identifying actors at every level – from malware developers and intrusion specialists to money launderers responsible for handling the illicit proceeds."