Canadian ransomware hacker sentenced to 20 years in U.S. prisonSebastien Vachon-Desjardins pleaded guilty to ransomware crimes, $28 million US in bitcoin seizedA former Canadian government employee turned ransomware hacker has been sentenced to a 20-year prison term in the United States in what a federal court judge called "the worst case he's ever seen."Visibly outraged, Justice William F. Jung described Sébastien Vachon-Desjardins of Gatineau, Que., as "Jesse James meets the 21st century," referring to the notorious 19th century American outlaw as he handed down his decision in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday.In June, Vachon-Desjardins — a former IT specialist for Public Services and Procurement Canada — pleaded guilty to four charges, including computer fraud and transmitting a demand in relation to damaging a protected computer in the U.S.Vachon-Desjardins, 35, was one of the most prolific affiliates of Netwalker, a Russian-speaking ransomware criminal gang that operated at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.'I would have given you life,' says judgeGammons said the pre-sentencing report didn't reveal anything remarkable to suggest weighing in favour of a lesser sentence.Case settled in CanadaFollowing his arrest in January 2021 in Gatineau, RCMP searched Vachon-Desjardins' home and recovered a value of $28 million US in bitcoin at the time and seized $500,000 in cash."