May 27, 2025 By Lawrence Abrams
An Iranian national has pleaded guilty to participating in the Robbinhood ransomware operation, which was used to breach the networks, steal data, and encrypt devices of U.S. cities and organizations in an attempt to extort millions of dollars over a five-year span.
According to a U.S. Department of Justice and an unsealed indictment, 39-year-old man named Sina Gholinejad, also known as "Sina Ghaaf," and his conspirators deployed the Robbinhood ransomware on breached networks from at least January 2019 through March 2024.
The attacks targeted local governments, healthcare providers, and nonprofit organizations, encrypting files and demanding Bitcoin ransoms in return for a decryptor and to prevent data leaks.
Victims included the cities of Baltimore, Greenville (North Carolina), Gresham (Oregon), and Yonkers (New York), as well as organizations such as Meridian Medical Group and Berkshire Farm Center.
