A Somali man who acted as a ransom negotiator for pirates who seized a US yacht last year and killed four American hostages was sentenced on Monday by a US federal judge to serve 12 life sentences.

Mohammad Shibin was convicted in April on 15 charges including piracy, hostage-taking, kidnapping and conspiracy. He was paid $30,000 to $50,000 in cash for his negotiating services, according to a federal indictment.

In a courtroom in Norfolk, Virginia, US District Judge Robert Doumar sentenced Shibin to serve 10 concurrent life sentences, two consecutive life sentences and two 20-year sentences and ordered him to pay $5.4 million in restitution.