MonsterCloud (Organization): news timeline & CVEs

Ransomware recovery CEO indicted after allegedly paying hackers and pocketing millions

Prosecutors indicted MonsterCloud CEO Zohar Pinhasi for allegedly paying ransoms while charging clients over $19 million.

The Justice Department charged Zohar Pinhasi, the dual U.S.-Israeli owner of Florida-based MonsterCloud, with two counts of wire fraud and one count of wire fraud conspiracy. Prosecutors say he told ransomware victims he could decrypt data with proprietary tools, then secretly paid attackers and billed clients far more than the ransom. Authorities allege he charged hundreds of U.S. and Canadian clients more than $19 million and paid more than $8 million in ransoms over five years ending in 2023. He pleaded not guilty in federal court in Brooklyn, was released on a $2 million bond, and faces up to 60 years if convicted.

CyberScoop19:44 UTC · 2h agoPolicy & legal 9 sources

DOJ charges ransomware recovery CEO for secretly paying hackers

DOJ charged MonsterCloud owner Zohar Pinhasi with wire fraud for secretly paying ransomware gangs.

The Justice Department charged Zohar Pinhasi, a 50-year-old U.S. and Israeli national and owner of Florida-based MonsterCloud, with wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy. Prosecutors say the ransomware-recovery firm claimed proprietary decryption tools but secretly paid gangs, billed clients about $19 million, and paid roughly $8 million in ransoms. In one 2023 case he allegedly paid an $8,200 ransom and charged the client $150,000. He faces up to 20 years if convicted. A 2019 ProPublica investigation previously described the same business model.

The Recordupdated 19:44 UTC · 2h agofirst 17:00 UTC · 5h agoPolicy & legal 9 sources

MonsterCloud Owner Charged With Secretly Paying Ransomware Demands

Florida MonsterCloud owner Zohar Pinhasi was charged with secretly paying ransomware ransoms and billing clients millions.

Federal prosecutors charged Zohar Pinhasi, 50, owner of Florida ransomware-recovery firm MonsterCloud, with wire fraud and conspiracy. He allegedly told clients the firm would not pay ransoms and had proprietary decryption tools, then secretly bought decryption keys from the attackers and billed far more than the ransom. In one August 2023 case he paid about $8,200 and charged roughly $150,000; overall he allegedly collected more than $19 million while paying out over $8 million. Each of the three charges carries up to 20 years; they remain allegations.

Security Affairsupdated 19:44 UTC · 2h agofirst 13:37 UTC · 9h agoPolicy & legal 9 sources

Fake Decryption Tools Masked $11M Markup in Ransomware Recovery Scheme

MonsterCloud owner Zohar Pinhasi was charged with wire fraud for marking up ransomware payments by about $11 million.

Zohar Pinhasi, 50, owner of US company MonsterCloud and also known as Zack Silver and Zack Green, appeared in a New York court on wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy charges. Prosecutors say he told ransomware victims his firm could restore data with proprietary decryption tools without paying attackers. Instead he allegedly paid the ransomware operators for keys and charged clients a large markup. Across the scheme he allegedly paid more than $8 million in ransoms and charged clients more than $19 million, including one case of about $8,200 paid and about $150,000 billed.

SecurityWeekupdated 19:44 UTC · 2h agofirst 09:27 UTC · 13h agoPolicy & legal 9 sources

Ransomware recovery firm boss charged with secretly paying attackers and overcharging victims

MonsterCloud owner Zohar Pinhasi charged with wire fraud for secretly paying ransomware gangs over $8M while billing victims over $19M.

Zohar Pinhasi (aka Zack Silver and Zack Green), a 50-year-old US-Israeli national from Hollywood, Florida, was charged with two counts of wire fraud and one count of wire fraud conspiracy, each carrying up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors allege he charged MonsterCloud clients more than $19 million while secretly paying over $8 million to ransomware gangs; in August 2023 he paid roughly $8,200 for a decryptor and billed the client about $150,000. DOJ says MonsterCloud had no proprietary decryption technology despite its marketing claims, and paid testimonials came from paid spokespersons.

Help Net Securityupdated 19:44 UTC · 2h agofirst 08:00 UTC · 14h agoPolicy & legal 9 sources

MonsterCloud Owner Accused of Billing Over $19M While Secretly Paying Ransoms to Decrypt Data

DOJ charges MonsterCloud owner Zohar Pinhasi with wire fraud for secretly paying ransoms and overbilling clients more than $19 million total.

The DOJ announced wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy charges against Zohar Pinhasi (aka Zack Silver and Zack Green), owner of Florida ransomware recovery firm MonsterCloud, each count carrying up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors allege he charged clients more than $19 million while secretly paying over $8 million in ransoms; in August 2023 he paid about $8,200 and billed roughly $150,000, and in October 2021 paid about $236,000 while charging about $380,000. The indictment says MonsterCloud's claimed proprietary decryption tools never existed and Pinhasi simply bought decryptors from attackers.

The Hacker Newsupdated 19:44 UTC · 2h agofirst 07:41 UTC · 14h agoPolicy & legal 9 sources

Ransomware fixer claimed he could decrypt files, allegedly defrauded clients instead

DOJ charged Zohar Pinhasi with wire fraud for allegedly paying ransomware ransoms while billing MonsterCloud clients for decryption.

The US Department of Justice charged Zohar Pinhasi, also known as Zack Silver and Zack Green, with two counts of wire fraud and one count of wire fraud conspiracy. Prosecutors say his Florida firm MonsterCloud told ransomware victims it could recover files with proprietary tools, then used part of the fees to pay attackers and kept the markup. In one alleged case he charged $150,000, paid an $8,200 ransom, and did not disclose the payment. Overall he allegedly collected more than $19 million and paid more than $8 million in ransoms; each count carries up to 20 years, and the FBI is investigating possible co-conspirators.

The Register · Securityupdated 19:44 UTC · 2h agofirst 02:29 UTC · 20h agoPolicy & legal 9 sources

Ransomware recovery CEO charged over secret ransom payments

MonsterCloud owner Zohar Pinhasi was charged with secretly paying ransomware gangs while billing victims for decryption.

The owner of Florida firm MonsterCloud, Zohar Pinhasi, was indicted in the Eastern District of New York on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two wire-fraud counts. Prosecutors allege that from June 2018 to June 2023 he claimed proprietary decryption while secretly paying ransomware operators for keys, then billed customers far more than the ransoms. The scheme allegedly facilitated more than $8 million in ransom payments and more than $19 million in fees to hundreds of companies in the United States and Canada. Pinhasi pleaded not guilty, was released on a $2 million bond, and faces up to 20 years if convicted.

BleepingComputerupdated 19:44 UTC · 2h agofirst Oct 7, 23:04 UTC · 23h agoPolicy & legal 9 sources1

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