6 hours ago
Indian authorities confirmed the apprehension of Garantex co-founder Aleksej Besciokov, a Lithuanian nationalist wanted by the US for allegedly laundering billions done the crypto exchange.
Police apprehended Besciokov successful Kerala’s coastal municipality of Varkala portion helium was vacationing with his family. Besciokov is accused of operating an unlicensed money-transmitting concern and conspiring to perpetrate wealth laundering.
The apprehension comes little than a week aft US and European authorities seized Garantex and its online operations successful a crackdown connected its alleged wealth laundering activities.
US authorities assertion Besciokov played a cardinal relation successful the Moscow-based exchange, which was sanctioned by the US Treasury successful 2022 for allegedly processing illicit transactions linked to ransomware, cause trafficking, and cybercrime.
Prosecutors assertion the level facilitated fiscal transactions for Russian transgression organizations, including groups liable for hacking and extortion schemes targeting American businesses and institutions.
The apprehension followed a provisional warrant issued by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of Patiala House Court successful New Delhi. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Kerala Police coordinated efforts, acting connected an Interpol Red Notice issued astatine the petition of US authorities.
B. Gopakumar, lawman superintendent of constabulary successful Varkala, said:
“The accused was traced based connected quality received from Interpol and planetary instrumentality enforcement agencies. He volition beryllium remanded for 2 days successful Kerala earlier being transferred to Delhi for extradition proceedings.”
Besciokov’s apprehension is portion of a broader planetary crackdown connected crypto-linked fiscal crimes. On March 7, the US Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against him and his associate, Aleksandr Mira Serda, charging them with wealth laundering, conspiracy to interruption US sanctions, and operating an unlicensed fiscal entity.
Serda remains astatine large, and instrumentality enforcement agencies are tracking his whereabouts. Meanwhile, Besciokov is expected to beryllium extradited to the US pursuing ineligible proceedings successful India.
Authorities allege that from 2019 to 2025, Garantex handled hundreds of millions of dollars successful illicit transactions, including ransomware payments from groups specified arsenic Conti, Black Basta, and Play.
The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Garantex a high-risk entity, efficaciously removing it from the planetary fiscal system.
The station Law enforcement apprehension Garantex co-founder successful Indian coastal town appeared archetypal connected CryptoSlate.
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