A Russian national has been sentenced in federal court in Southern Indiana for his role in a series of cyberattacks targeting businesses across the United States. Aleksei Volkov, 26, was sentenced Monday to more than six years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges tied to ransomware schemes. Authorities say Volkov acted as an “initial access broker,” gaining unauthorized entry into company networks and selling that access to cybercriminal groups. Those groups used the access to deploy ransomware, lock systems, and demand payment in cryptocurrency. Officials say the attacks caused more than $9 million in losses, with additional attempted damages totaling over $24 million. Volkov was arrested in Italy and extradited to the U.S. He has been ordered to pay restitution to victims as part of his sentence.
