Volodymyr Viktorovich Tymoshchuk, a Ukrainian national, has been charged by the U.S. Department of Justice for his alleged role as an administrator in the notorious LockerGoga, MegaCortex, and Nefilim ransomware operations. Tymoshchuk, also known by his online aliases, including “deadforz” and “Boba,” is on the most wanted lists of both the EU and the FBI. He is accused of orchestrating ransomware attacks that compromised hundreds of companies and inflicted millions of dollars in damages globally, according to a recently unsealed indictment.
Between July 2019 and June 2020, Tymoshchuk and his accomplices allegedly breached the networks of more than 250 companies in the United States alone and many more worldwide. These attacks were linked to the LockerGoga and MegaCortex ransomware operations. However, in many cases, law enforcement was able to alert the victims early, preventing the attackers from successfully deploying the ransomware on their networks. This early intervention limited the full extent of the damage the attacks could have caused.
From July 2020 to October 2021, Tymoshchuk allegedly transitioned to working as an administrator for the Nefilim ransomware operation. In this role, he was responsible for providing network access to affiliates, including his co-defendant Artem Aleksandrovych Stryzhak, who was extradited from Spain in April 2025. In exchange for his services, Tymoshchuk received 20 percent of the ransom payments collected from victims. His involvement continued to expand, demonstrating his deep integration within the cybercriminal underworld.
In November 2023, cybersecurity firm Group-IB further connected Tymoshchuk to a broader network of cybercrime. Their research linked him to other ransomware gangs, including JSWORM, Karma, Nokoyawa, and Nemty. Since April 2019, he had been actively recruiting affiliates for these groups on various Russian-speaking hacker forums. This activity underscores his long-standing and significant role in building and supporting a wide range of ransomware syndicates.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. characterized Tymoshchuk as a “serial ransomware criminal” who targeted major American corporations, healthcare institutions, and large foreign industrial firms. His methods included threatening to leak sensitive data online if the victims refused to pay the ransom. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti added that in some cases, these attacks completely disrupted business operations, forcing companies to halt all activities until their data could be recovered or restored. These charges highlight the severe and costly impact of his criminal activities on global businesses.
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