The man, Sebastien Vachon-Desjardins, 35, of Gatineau, Quebec, pleaded guilty in June 2022 to participating in the ransomware scheme.

Initially spotted in 2019, NetWalker was being offered under the ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) business model and has been used in attacks against tens of organizations worldwide, including private and public entities, hospitals and emergency services, law enforcement, and education institutions.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, NetWalker ransomware operators specifically targeted the healthcare sector, the US Department of Justice notes.