The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged three Russian nationals in connection with an alleged $63 million cybercrime scheme targeting Americans in 21 states. The indictment, unsealed on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, accuses Alexander Alexandrovich Volosovik, 43; Kirill Andreevich Zatolokin, 34; and Yulia Vladimirovna Pankova, 29, of conducting malicious cyber activities against U.S. critical infrastructure through their St. Petersburg-based companies, Media Land, LLC and ML.Cloud, LLC.

According to federal prosecutors, the trio operated "bulletproof hosting firms" that powered ransomware, malware, and phishing attacks. These companies provided hosting services and IT infrastructure for businesses in the U.S. and abroad, with services designed to help users evade law enforcement detection.

A grand jury indicted the defendants in December 2024 on charges including conspiracy to commit and aid and abet computer fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The Department of Justice Criminal Division's Assistant Attorney General stated, "From their overseas safe haven, these defendants ran the criminal infrastructure that powered attacks on critical institutions across our nation. Their actions put the American public at risk. We will continue to dismantle these networks and protect our critical infrastructure from cybercriminals at home and abroad."

FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Josh DelManzo emphasized the importance of international cooperation, saying, "Today’s announcement underscores the importance of global partnerships and international collaboration, especially in a borderless world riddled with cyber criminals."

Sources