Russian initial access broker who fed ransomware crews gets 81 months in US prison

Aleksei Volkov, 26, was sentenced to 81 months in U.S. prison after admitting he clandestinely broke into corporate networks and sold those footholds to ransomware and extortion groups (including Yanluowang); his access sales enabled intrusions against at least seven U.S. organizations, causing roughly $9 million in actual losses and over $24 million in intended losses, and he pleaded guilty in November 2025 and was ordered to pay restitution.