2 days ago
The U.S. Justice Department authorized the seizure of much than $2.8 cardinal successful cryptocurrency, cash, and different assets from a suspected ransomware operator, according to an Aug. 14 announcement.
Federal prosecutors unsealed six warrants tied to Ianis Aleksandrovich Antropenko, charging him with conspiring to perpetrate machine fraud and abuse, committing machine fraud and abuse, and conspiracy to perpetrate wealth laundering.
In summation to the crypto, authorities besides seized $70,000 successful currency and a luxury vehicle. The integer assets seized successful the raid are expected to beryllium added to the government’s increasing crypto reserve.
According to the Justice Department, the assets were linked to ransomware proceeds and laundered done methods including the now-defunct mixing work ChipMixer, which was dismantled successful an planetary cognition successful 2023.
Officials said Antropenko besides converted crypto to currency and made structured deposits to debar detection.
Part of expanding national stockpile
The lawsuit marks the latest authorities enactment involving crypto that could beryllium directed into the U.S. nationalist crypto reserve, created by an executive bid enacted by President Donald Trump successful March.
Earlier this week, the Justice Department announced the seizure of astir $1 cardinal from the ransomware radical BlackSuit and moved to assertion $2.4 cardinal successful Bitcoin (BTC) seized by the FBI successful Dallas successful April.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent precocious revealed that the government’s Bitcoin holdings, acquired done transgression plus forfeitures aft unfortunate restitution, totaled astir $20 billion.
Bessent drew attraction earlier successful the week aft saying the authorities would not beryllium buying further Bitcoin for the reserve. He aboriginal backtracked and clarified that the Treasury volition proceed to question “budget-neutral” ways to grow its holdings.
The station US authorities raid ransomware operator, prehend $2.8M successful crypto appeared archetypal connected CryptoSlate.
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