'Felony murder law does not require that a defendant pull the trigger': Ex-FBI chief calls for ransomware attackers to face homicide charges if attacks lead to deaths

Ransomware.

• Former FBI cyber division deputy Cynthia Kaiser urges DOJ to charge hospital ransomware attackers with felony murder if patient deaths occur
• University of Minnesota research tied at least 47 deaths to ransomware between 2016–2021; healthcare attacks nearly doubled from 238 in 2024 to 460 in 2025
• Kaiser also calls for exploring terrorism designations for groups repeatedly targeting hospitals, enabling sanctions and broader consequences

If a ransomware actor targets a hospital, and the attack results in a patient dying, the hacker should be charged with felony murder. This is what Cynthia Kaiser, former deputy assistant director of the FBI's cyber division, urged the US Justice Department to consider, just recently.