Wondering how that was accomplished. Should it not be impossible with cryptocurrency?
In order to maintain control of bitcoin you need to maintain exclusive control of a cryptographic key, the private key. This key allows you to digitally sign a transaction to move the bitcoin. So, to recover the ransom, they needed to acquire this key or find someone with access to the key willing to help.
I understand that the FBI seized the hacker's web site. Maybe the site stored the private keys. Or they may have traced the bitcoin payment being sent to an exchange to be traded for fiat currency so the exchange had control of the bitcoin.
Bitcoin key sounds like hot potato.