US says it seized $2.3 million in bitcoin from ransom Colonial Pipeline paid to ‘Russia-based’ hackers

Tuesday, 8 June 2021Newsdesk

The US Department of Justice has managed to track down and recapture 63.7 bitcoin worth of ransom from a wallet allegedly used by hackers who extorted Colonial Pipeline.

New Delhi, 8 June 2021

As per news report of Rt.com, the ransomware attack had caused widespread gas shortages. With cooperation from Colonial, the DOJ got a warrant in a federal court in California and successfully “found and recaptured the majority of the ransom” from a bitcoin wallet, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced on Monday. It was the first seizure of this kind ever, she said. Colonial’s CEO admitted last month the company had paid a ransom in cryptocurrency – estimated at $4.4 million at the time – and argued “it was the right thing to do for the country.”

Source -rt.com