India's CBI captures a cryptocurrency administrator implicated in US-led money laundering and cybercrime investigations.
India Apprehends Crypto Exchange Administrator Linked to US Money Laundering Case
India Apprehends Crypto Exchange Administrator Linked to US Money Laundering Case
Aleksej Besciokov arrested in Kerala as US seeks extradition for alleged financial crimes.
Authorities in India have detained Aleksej Besciokov, a cryptocurrency exchange administrator sought by the United States for alleged involvement in facilitating cybercriminal activities. The arrest took place in Kerala, where Besciokov, a Lithuanian citizen and resident of Russia, was taken into custody by India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday, responding to a provisional arrest warrant issued at the behest of Washington.
The US Justice Department (DOJ) claims Besciokov was a key figure at Garantex, a Russian cryptocurrency exchange, responsible for managing and approving transactions. Currently, he remains silent and has not yet provided any statements following his arrest. Garantex has not publicly responded to inquiries regarding the situation.
The DOJ's recent indictment specifies that Besciokov was residing in Russia prior to his arrest, though it is unclear how or why he ended up in India. A court appearance in Delhi is anticipated, and inquiries have arisen regarding the timeline for his potential extradition to the US.
In collaboration with Germany and Finland, US authorities last week dismantled Garantex's online infrastructure. Since its inception in 2019, the exchange allegedly processed around $96 billion in cryptocurrency transactions and was implicated in funneling hundreds of millions of dollars into unlawful activities, including drug trafficking, hacking, ransomware, and terrorism.
In a recent indictment, Besciokov, alongside Garantex's Russian co-founder Aleksandr Mira Serda, faces charges of money laundering and violating sanctions. The US Treasury Department had previously sanctioned Garantex in 2022, after which the organization reportedly modified its operations to avoid enforcement measures while enticing American businesses into collaboration.
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