Former DigitalMint Negotiator Sentenced for Aiding BlackCat Ransomware Extortion

Former DigitalMint ransomware negotiator Angelo John Martino III was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for conspiring with BlackCat/ALPHV affiliates and abusing confidential client information to drive up ransomware payments from U.S. victims. Prosecutors said Martino used sensitive details from at least five victim organizations—including negotiating positions, insurance limits, financial status, and planned responses—to help attackers increase pressure and extract larger payments, effectively working both sides of the negotiations. Authorities said the scheme contributed to extortion demands tied to roughly $75.3 million in victim losses.

Martino also admitted conspiring with former DigitalMint negotiator Kevin Tyler Martin and former Sygnia incident response manager Ryan Clifford Goldberg to deploy BlackCat ransomware against five additional U.S. companies, including a medical firm that paid nearly $1.3 million in Bitcoin. The case was investigated by the FBI Miami Field Office and the U.S. Secret Service as part of Operation Riptide, and authorities seized millions in assets linked to Martino, with reports citing between $7 million and $10 million. The sentencing highlights the insider risk facing ransomware victims that rely on outside negotiators and incident response firms during extortion events.