Iranian National Charged in US Ransomware Cyberattack
The US Department of Justice has accused an Iranian-origin individual of participating in the high-profile 2019 ransomware attack on Baltimore, Maryland, and other cyberattacks that caused tens of millions in damages and disrupted public services, according to webangah News Agency.
Sina Ghalenjerd, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of ”wire fraud and computer misuse” and one count of “conspiracy to commit wire fraud,” the Justice Department claims. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison. Ghalenjerd was arrested on January 10,2025 at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
The Baltimore ransomware attack that began on May 7, 2019 caused over $19 million in damages to city networks. The cyberattack disrupted tax systems, water bills, parking fines and other municipal revenue services for months.other victims included computer networks in Gresham (Oregon), Yonkers (New York), and Greenville (North Carolina).
While the Justice Department identified the defendant as an Iranian citizen, court documents made no mention of Iranian government involvement.
The indictment follows a November 2023 incident where hacking group ”Cyber Avengers” breached Pennsylvania water treatment facilities – an attack the US government attributed to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps at the time.
