Germany arrests member of Qilin hacker group who was extradited from Japan
According to Japanese police, German authorities had obtained an arrest warrant for the 28-year-old Russian citizen on suspicion of extortion.
A Russian national, suspected to be a key figure in the Qilin hacker group, was apprehended by German police after being extradited from Japan, according to local authorities. The 28-year-old was charged with extortion, accused of targeting German companies and demanding cryptocurrency payments. German cyber investigators identified his whereabouts in Japan following a joint operation with Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto police departments.
Authorities apprehended him at a hotel in Osaka in May and transferred him to German custody this month, following a Tokyo High Court ruling under extradition law. Qilin has been responsible for ransomware attacks on over 4,000 companies worldwide since October 2022, demanding ransom to restore encrypted data and threatening to release stolen information if victims refuse to pay.
Since April 2023, the group has targeted 53 companies, hospitals, and schools in Japan, including a cyberattack on Asahi Group Holdings in 2025. Qilin operates through multiple affiliates who carry out cyber intrusions and extortion using ransomware provided by core members specializing in malware development and system management.
A senior NPA official expressed satisfaction in identifying and arresting a Qilin member through international cooperation.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
