Chicago Cybersecurity Negotiator Angelo Martino Accused of Orchestrating $75 Million Ransomware Scheme

Angelo Martino, a 41-year-old cybersecurity professional employed by Chicago-based DigitalMint, is facing federal prosecution on allegations that he secretly coordinated ransomware attacks against the very companies he was hired to help, while simultaneously posing as their ransom negotiator. Prosecutors allege Martino and his associates extorted more than $75 million in ransom payments from four businesses and one nonprofit organization across the hospitality, retail, medical, and financial services sectors.

Federal authorities say Martino conspired with Kevin Tyler Martin, a fellow DigitalMint negotiator, and Ryan Clifford Goldberg, an incident response manager at Sygnia Cybersecurity Services. According to court documents, Goldberg exploited network vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to victims' systems, while Martin extracted sensitive data and locked company networks. The group allegedly deployed ransomware known as ALPHV BlackCat under an affiliate arrangement with its developers, who received a share of each ransom collected. At least two payments individually exceeded $25 million.

Federal agents have seized Martino's Florida real estate holdings, vehicles, and more than $9 million in cryptocurrency. A court hearing is scheduled for Martino to consider entering a guilty plea. Goldberg and Martin previously pleaded guilty to extortion charges in December and are set to be sentenced on April 30. DigitalMint CEO Jonathan Solomon confirmed Martino was terminated immediately after the Justice Department notified the company of the allegations in April 2025, stating the firm found no evidence of criminal conduct beyond what appeared in the charging documents and has since strengthened internal security controls.