Russian national Aleksei Volkov, 26, has been sentenced to 81 months in US prison for operating as an initial access broker — breaking into corporate networks and selling that access to ransomware groups including the Yanluowang gang. Extradited from Italy, Volkov pleaded guilty in November 2025 to conspiracy to commit computer fraud. He compromised at least seven US organizations, earning flat fees or percentage cuts of ransoms paid (including 20% of a $500K payout and 16% of a $1M ransom). His activity resulted in approximately $9 million in actual losses and over $24 million in intended losses. The case highlights the specialization within the ransomware economy, where enablers like access brokers are increasingly being prosecuted alongside the crews that carry out attacks.
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