Three Russian nationals have been indicted for allegedly defrauding Americans in 21 states of over $63 million. The indictment, issued in December 2024, was unsealed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio on a Tuesday. The individuals named are Alexander Alexandrovich Volosovik, 43, Kirill Andreevich Zatolokin, 34, and Yulia Vladimirovna Pankova, 29.
Accusations of Malicious Cyber Activities
According to federal prosecutors, the trio engaged in “malicious cyber activities against U.S. critical infrastructure” through their companies based in St. Petersburg, Russia, Media Land, LLC and ML.Cloud, LLC. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Department of Justice Criminal Division stated that these individuals operated a criminal infrastructure that endangered critical American institutions.
“From their overseas safe haven, these defendants ran the criminal infrastructure that powered attacks on critical institutions across our nation,” said Duva.
Duva emphasized the threat these actions posed to public safety, a concern that has prompted ongoing efforts to dismantle such networks.
Indictment Details
A grand jury has charged the three with conspiracy to commit and aid computer fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Additionally, the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information on associates connected to these Russians or their companies.
Sanctions and Services
In 2025, allied nations imposed sanctions on Media Land and ML.Cloud. Authorities allege that these companies offered “bulletproof hosting” services, designed to help clients avoid law enforcement detection. Their services included support for infecting computers with malware and ransomware, leading to extortion demands for money and cryptocurrency.
The companies also allegedly supported criminal activities such as fraudulent domain registrations and hosted platforms for phishing and brute force attacks.
Global Impact and International Cooperation
The trio’s cyber activities affected numerous sectors, including banks, schools, government entities, hospitals, and media companies. To address this, U.S. authorities have collaborated with international partners.
David M. Toepfer, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, highlighted the importance of global cooperation in combating cybercrime. He thanked several international law enforcement agencies, including the National Police of the Netherlands, the UK’s National Crime Agency, and the Australian Federal Police.
“The victims in this case are not only in Ohio, but also in 20 other states across the country, touching every aspect of Americans’ lives,” Toepfer stated.
Cybersecurity Threat Awareness
FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Josh DelManzo remarked on the significance of international partnerships amid global cyber threats. He stressed that whether for business or personal use, individuals online could be targeted by criminal networks seeking financial gain through ransomware, phishing, and other cyber activities.
“The FBI and its partners will continue to identify and cripple criminal networks and freeze their infrastructures to reduce or remove the threats to the public,” added DelManzo.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Justice for additional comments, but the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio cited an ongoing investigation as the reason for their inability to comment further.