‘Good-Looking’ Hacker Gets 20 Years Behind Bars for Extorting Millions from Ransomware Victims

A 35-year-old Canadian national, previously extradited to the US to face charges of costly cybercrimes, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

In March, Canadian authorities extradited Sebastien Vachon-Desjardins, of Quebec, Canada, for his role in the NetWalker ransomware crime ring.

He was already facing seven years in prison for breaching the computer networks of dozens of organizations around the world, hijacking their data, holding it for ransom, and distributing stolen information when ransoms were not paid.

‘Good looking, presentable, and instantly likable’

The March indictment charged him with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and wire fraud, intentional damage to a protected computer, and transmitting a demand in relation to damaging a protected computer arising from his alleged participation in a sophisticated form of ransomware.

At his initial court appearance in Canada, the judge presiding over the case notably found the defendant ‘good-looking, presentable, and instantly likable,’ and commended his willingness to cooperate with authorities in returning some of the stolen funds to his victims.

Two decades in prison

This week, the hacker got his final sentencing - 20 years behind bars - and was ordered to forfeit $21.5 million for his role in NetWalker ransomware attacks.

Court documents say Desjardins victimized a plurality of different entities and industries all over the world, including companies, municipalities, hospitals, law enforcement, emergency services, school districts, colleges and universities.

“Attacks have specifically targeted the healthcare sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, taking advantage of the global crisis to extort victims,” according to the US Department of Justice.

As noted above, Desjardins was extradited earlier this year to the United States under the country’s extradition treaty with Canada. Police executed a search warrant at his home and seized $742,840 in Canadian currency, as well as 719 Bitcoin, valued at approximately $22 million at the time. Today, the seized crypto is worth around $14.4 million.

US authorities believe the sentencing is well-deserved. Attorney Roger B. Handberg remarked that “the defendant in this case used sophisticated technological means to exploit hundreds of victims in numerous countries at the height of an international health crisis.”