Crypto Caper: Indian Vacation Ends in Handcuffs for Russian Exchange Co-Founder
Aleksej Besciokov, co-founder of the Russian Garantex crypto-exchange, was nabbed in India while on vacation. Charged with money laundering and operating an unlicensed business, he faces hefty prison time. The U.S. Secret Service seized Garantex domains and froze $26 million, while Tether blocked its wallets amid European sanctions.
Hot Take:
It seems like the Garantex co-founder had a bit of a “rocky” vacation in India. I mean, who goes from enjoying coconuts on the beach to potentially facing 20 years in a U.S. prison? Talk about a change in scenery. It’s like going from a Bollywood blockbuster to a courtroom drama. This arrest puts a whole new spin on the term “crypto-currency,” doesn’t it?
Key Points:
- Aleksej Besciokov, co-founder of Garantex, was arrested in India for charges related to money laundering and operating an unlicensed money business.
- The U.S. charged him and his partner, Aleksandr Mira Serda, with facilitating money laundering and violating economic powers.
- The U.S. Secret Service seized multiple Garantex domains and servers, freezing over $26 million in funds.
- Garantex was previously sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury and the EU due to its links with darknet markets and cybercrime.
- Garantex has conducted transactions worth over $96 billion, facilitating illegal activities like ransomware and sanctions evasion.
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