Moldova arrests suspect in ransomware attacks targeting Dutch firms

Moldovan authorities have arrested a 45-year-old man suspected of involvement in a series of ransomware attacks targeting Dutch companies in 2021.

The suspect, who is internationally wanted for cybercrime-related offenses including blackmail and money laundering, was detained last week following a search of his residence in Moldova. Officials did not release his name but said he is a “foreign citizen.”

Moldovan police seized over 84,000 euros ($93,000) in cash, an electronic wallet, two laptops, a mobile phone, a tablet, six bank cards, and various data storage devices, officials said in a statement on Monday.

Among the attacks the suspect is allegedly responsible for is an incident targeting the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), which caused an estimated 4.5 million euros ($5 million) in damage. The organization attributed the attack to the DoppelPaymer ransomware.

The suspect remains in custody while Moldovan prosecutors initiate extradition procedures to the Netherlands.

The arrest comes amid a broader crackdown on cybercrime across Europe. In a separate case last week, Irish authorities sentenced a 43-year-old man to two years in prison for operating a website selling malware, ransomware and stolen financial data.

Earlier in May, Polish police detained four individuals accused of running illegal DDoS-for-hire services used to disrupt websites and servers globally.

In April, Ukrainian law enforcement dismantled a criminal group that defrauded Latvian citizens of more than $145,000 through fake cryptocurrency investment schemes run from call centers across Ukraine.