Aleksei Olegovich Volkov was sentenced in the U.S. to 6.75 years (81 months) after admitting he acted as an initial access broker who facilitated dozens of ransomware attacks for groups including the Yanluowang crew, causing more than $9 million in actual losses and over $24 million in intended losses. U.S. prosecutors also charged a third negotiator linked to the BlackCat (ALPHV) gang, seizing about $9.2 million in cryptocurrency and prompting DigitalMint to terminate implicated employees while Volkov agreed to pay restitution and forfeit tools used in the crimes. #Yanluowang #BlackCat
Keypoints
- Volkov, a 26-year-old Russian citizen, received an 81-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to facilitating ransomware attacks.
- His conduct resulted in more than $9 million in actual victim losses and over $24 million in intended losses.
- Volkov operated as an initial access broker, selling unauthorized network access that co-conspirators used to deploy encryption malware and demand ransoms.
- He agreed to pay at least $9,167,198 in restitution to known victims and to forfeit the tools used to commit the crimes.
- Separately, U.S. authorities charged a third BlackCat/ALPHV negotiator, seized about $9.2 million in crypto, and DigitalMint terminated involved employees.
Read More: https://thehackernews.com/2026/03/us-sentences-russian-hacker-to-675.html