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ADVANCED SECURITY EUROPA
EOODBehind the Screens: The Rise and Fall of Cybercrime Negotiators
Mar 24, 2026Aleksei Olegovich Volkov, a Russian citizen, has been sentenced to 6.75 years in prison for his role in facilitating numerous ransomware attacks against U.S.
companies, resulting in over $9 million in actual losses.
Volkov served as an initial access broker, providing unauthorized access to networks which were then infected with malware by his co-conspirators, who demanded large ransoms in cryptocurrency.
Volkov pleaded guilty to charges including computer fraud and money laundering, and agreed to pay restitution to victims.
In a separate case, Angelo Martino was charged as a negotiator for the BlackCat ransomware gang, helping them extort higher payments from victims.
Martino faces up to 20 years in prison and DigitalMint, his former employer, has condemned his actions and terminated his employment.
