Earlier today, in a Brooklyn federal court, United States District Judge Frederic Block sentenced Sagar Steven Singh to 27 months in prison for conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and aggravated identity theft. On May 30, 2025, Nicholas Ceraolo received a 25-month sentence for the same offenses.
The sentences were announced by Joseph Nocella Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge at Homeland Security Investigations in New York (HSI New York).
“The defendants breached a federal law enforcement database, used multiple means to steal sensitive personal information, and exploited that data to extort and threaten innocent people and their families,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This sentence sends a clear message that my Office is committed to protecting victims from digital predators and that those who exploit vulnerabilities in government systems will face jail time.”
Alfonso added, “The defendants impersonated law enforcement, illegally accessed government databases, and even faked life-threatening situations to bypass criminal procedures through which they could obtain sensitive personal information. They threatened innocent victims’ livelihoods and were found to have joked about their deceptive, exploitative, and calculated scheme in messages with each other. As a result of the HSI New York El Dorado Task Force’s commitment to justice in this case, both men will now have months in federal prison to consider the seriousness of these crimes.”
Singh and Ceraolo were part of a group known as “ViLE,” whose members sought to collect personal information such as social security numbers from victims. ViLE then threatened to “dox” victims by posting this information on a public website managed by one of its members unless payment was made.
The two men unlawfully accessed a nonpublic web portal maintained by a U.S. federal law enforcement agency using a stolen password from an officer. This portal contained nonpublic records related to narcotics and currency seizures along with intelligence reports.
Singh reportedly used his access to extort victims by threatening them with harm unless they provided account credentials or sold accounts for him. Both Singh and Ceraolo acknowledged the criminal nature of their actions during conversations captured by investigators.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section with Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Mindlin, Ellen H. Sise, and Adam Amir leading the prosecution.
NICHOLAS CERAOLO (also known as “Convict,” “Anon,” “Ominous”) is 27 years old from Queens, New York.
SAGAR STEVEN SINGH (also known as “Weep”) is 21 years old from Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
