An affiliate of the NetWalker ransomware gang has been sentenced to seven years in prison by Canadian courts. The sentencing came at the end of January, although the individual was extradited to the US on Wednesday. There, he will face further charges related to his participation in the gang. The individual, Sebastian Vachon-Desjardins, is a Canadian citizen. He pled guilty to five charges related to theft of computer data, extortion, the payment of cryptocurrency ransoms, and participating in the criminal organization’s activities.
Vachon-Desjardins was allegedly involved in 17 ransomware attacks that collectively caused at least $2.8 million in damages. He was handed an additional 54-month sentence during his trial in Canada for drug trafficking in Quebec. Vachon-Desjardins was supposed to be extradited to the US at an early date, however, it was delayed due to his drug trafficking charges in Canada. Now that he is in the US, he faces charges such as conspiracy to commit computer and wire fraud, intentional damage to a protected computer, and transmitting a demand in relation to damaging a protected computer. If convicted, he would be required to forfeit over $27 million for his crimes.
Read More: NetWalker ransomware affiliate extradited to the US for further charges
