Carlo J. Martina, P.C. listed on pear ransomware leak site

• Ransomware group: pear
• Country: United States
• Sector: Professional Services
• Announcement date: February 26, 2026

The ransomware group known as pear has listed the United States-based law firm Carlo J. Martina, P.C. on its leak site. According to the announcement made by the threat actors, the organization has been targeted in a cyberattack involving data exfiltration.

The claims made by pear

The pear group released an announcement on February 26, 2026, claiming that they have successfully targeted Carlo J. Martina, P.C. The group alleges that they gained unauthorized access to the institution's systems on February 23, 2026. Following this alleged breach, the group claims to have exfiltrated various types of data from the firm's environment. The threat actors have threatened to release the stolen information publicly if their demands are not met, a tactic commonly associated with modern ransomware operations.

This type of threat is a hallmark of double-extortion tactics. In such scenarios, attackers do not merely encrypt a victim's files to disrupt operations; they also steal sensitive information to use as leverage. By threatening to leak confidential data on a public leak site, the group aims to increase the pressure on the organization to pay the ransom, leveraging the potential reputational and legal damage that a public data leak could cause.

Alleged data exfiltration

While the specific volume of data and the total number of files involved have not been disclosed by the group, the announcement included a screenshot intended to demonstrate the scope of the breach. According to the information shared in the post, the following categories of data have been claimed to be exfiltrated from the firm:

• Client information
• Financial records
• Legal documents
• Confidential correspondence

The nature of these data types suggests a significant breach of privacy, as they encompass both corporate and highly sensitive personal information belonging to the firm's clients.

Organization profile

Carlo J. Martina, P.C. is a professional services firm located in Plymouth, Michigan. The law firm specializes in the practice of divorce and family law, a sector that inherently involves handling extremely sensitive and personal information regarding clients' private lives and legal matters.

Risk assessment and industry implications

This incident may pose a high risk due to the sensitive nature of the client information held by a law firm. The types of data mentioned, such as legal documents and confidential correspondence, are highly valuable to malicious actors. If such data were to be leaked, it could potentially lead to identity theft or targeted phishing attacks against the affected clients, as attackers can use specific legal details to craft highly convincing fraudulent communications.

Furthermore, because the institution operates within the United States, it may face significant legal consequences. These could include obligations under state-level data breach notification laws and professional confidentiality requirements that govern the legal profession. The potential for regulatory scrutiny and legal liability is a primary driver in double-extortion schemes targeting professional services.

For organizations operating in the professional services sector, such incidents highlight the importance of robust defensive measures. Common industry practices to mitigate these risks include implementing strong access controls, maintaining comprehensive logging and monitoring to detect unauthorized system access, and ensuring that sensitive data is encrypted both at rest and in transit. Additionally, regular security awareness training can help prevent the initial access often gained through social engineering or phishing attempts.