A Ukrainian man accused of leading a cybercrime network that caused billions of dollars in damages was placed on the EU’s most wanted list on Wednesday, police agency Europol said. Volodymyr Tymoshchuk, 28, is accused of helping deploy the “Lockergoga” ransomware that disrupted hundreds of companies and forced ransom payments. The group’s activities caused more than US$18 billion (15 billion euros) in damage worldwide. “The fugitive is wanted by several countries and is considered a top priority target for international law enforcement,” Europol said in a statement. The identification of Tymoshchuk followed “a complex international investigation” that involved “close cooperation” between investigators in France, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States, it said. Several members of the group have already been arrested in Ukraine. “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,” the agency said. The U.S. Department of Justice has announced a reward of up to US$10 million for information leading to Tymoshchuk’s arrest.
