Russian Soldiers Scammed for Their 6-Figure Death Payouts
In this image, made from video and provided by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, a Russian soldier drives his T-80 tank to fire towards Ukrainian positions on an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
A disturbing new scam is emerging across Russia, where so-called “black widows” are allegedly marrying men bound for the front lines in Ukraine to cash in on lucrative death benefits if the soldiers are killed in action.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the scheme has grown large enough to draw the attention of Russian lawmakers, who are now reviewing multiple court cases involving women accused of orchestrating these fraudulent marriages for financial gain.
The payouts at stake are enormous by Russian standards. Families of fallen soldiers can receive the equivalent of $180,000 or more—an astonishing figure in a country where the average annual salary is about $10,000. Radio Free Europe reports that the Kremlin has repeatedly increased these benefits as it struggles to recruit new troops for its ongoing war in Ukraine.
One case cited by the Journal involves Sergey Khandozhko, who reportedly married a woman the day after enlisting—someone his family had never met. Even more suspiciously, the woman continued living with her ex-husband and children while Khandozhko went off to fight. After he was killed in Ukraine, she received a payout of roughly $200,000.
A civil court later ruled the marriage a sham designed to exploit the system, annulled it, and fined the bride just $37. She has since appealed the ruling. In response to such incidents, Russian lawmakers are now pushing for harsher penalties against anyone who marries soldiers purely for profit.
The growing “black widow” scam underscores the deep moral and social fractures emerging from Russia’s prolonged conflict in Ukraine—a war that continues to drain the nation’s manpower, money, and conscience.
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