Yanluowang Access Broker Sentenced to 81 Months in Prison
Summary
Aleksey Volkov pleaded guilty to selling corporate network access to Yanluowang affiliates and was sentenced to 81 months in prison. Investigators linked him to about $1.5 million in ransom proceeds; he must pay more than $9.16 million in restitution.
Key points
- Volkov admitted targeting at least eight U.S. companies between July 2021 and November 2022 and selling network access to Yanluowang affiliates.
- Affiliates deployed ransomware and demanded ransoms ranging from $300,000 to $15 million.
- The FBI recovered chat logs, stolen files, victim credentials, and ransom-negotiation evidence after seizing a server linked to the gang.
- Investigators traced Volkov using Apple iCloud data, cryptocurrency exchange records, and social media accounts.
- Volkov was sentenced to 81 months after pleading guilty and must pay more than $9.16 million in restitution and forfeit equipment.
- An affidavit described a screenshot suggesting a possible connection between Volkov and LockBit; the article does not establish that link.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Aleksey Olegovich Volkov was sentenced after pleading guilty to brokering access to corporate networks for the Yanluowang ransomware operation.
- Impact
- Volkov admitted targeting at least eight U.S. companies between July 2021 and November 2022 and selling network access to Yanluowang affiliates, who encrypted victims’ data and demanded ransoms of $300,000 to $15 million. Investigators linked Volkov to approximately $1.5 million in ransom proceeds. He was sentenced to 81 months in prison and agreed to pay at least $9,167,198.19 in restitution and forfeit equipment used in the crimes.
MITRE ATT&CK
People
Threat Actors
Aleksey Olegovich VolkovVolkov pleaded guilty to acting as an initial access broker, admitting that he breached corporate networks and sold access to Yanluowang affiliates. He admitted targeting at least eight U.S. companies.chubaka.korOnline alias identified in the article for Aleksey Olegovich Volkov, who pleaded guilty to brokering access to corporate networks for the Yanluowang operation.LockBitA screenshot of a chat with a user named LockBit was found in Volkov’s Apple account; the article describes this as suggesting a potential link to the LockBit ransomware gang, not as confirmed involvement.netsOnline alias identified in the article for Aleksey Olegovich Volkov, who pleaded guilty to brokering access to corporate networks for the Yanluowang operation.YanluowangRansomware operation whose affiliates received network access from Volkov and encrypted victims’ data, according to the article.