French Lawyer Asks Russian Patriarch to Help Save Alexander Vinnik From ‘Political Trial’ in US

A member of the defense team of the alleged BTC-e operator Alexander Vinnik has called on the head of the Russian Orthodox Church to intervene in support of his client. The Russian national may be sentenced to over 50 years in prison for his role in the infamous cryptocurrency exchange. Prisoner Swap for Americans in … Read more

Russian Accused of Laundering Cryptocurrency From Ransomware Attacks Extradited to US

A Russian national suspected of laundering ransomware payments in cryptocurrency on behalf of cybercriminals targeting hospitals has been extradited to the U.S. by the Netherlands. The man was allegedly involved in the criminal activity for a period of three years before his arrest in Amsterdam last November. Alleged Russian Money Launderer Handed Over to U.S. … Read more

Latvian Artist Threatened With Prison for Money Laundering Through NFTs

An artist from Latvia is under investigation for allegedly selling NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, to launder money, for which he may get up to 12 years in prison. The authorities have blocked his bank accounts and launched an investigation without even notifying him. Artist Who Sold Over 3,500 NFTs Prosecuted for Money Laundering in Latvia … Read more

Alexander Vinnik Serves Prison Term in France but No Freedom in Sight

Having served his five-year prison sentence in France, Russian IT and crypto specialist Alexander Vinnik is now facing a return to Greece and possible extradition to the United States. A French cassation court has recently dismissed an appeal filed by his defense against the transfer. US Extradition Continues to Haunt BTC-e’s Alexander Vinnik The alleged … Read more

Russian Court Recognizes Cryptocurrency as Means of Payment, Prosecutors See Precedent

The City Court of St. Petersburg has recognized a large amount of cryptocurrency handed over by the victim in an extortion case as a means of payment, Russian media reported. The prosecutor’s office in Russia’s second-largest city describes the ruling as a precedent. Two Men Sentenced for Cryptocurrency Extortion in Russia Two Russian citizens have … Read more

Another 6 Members of Finiko Crypto Pyramid Arrested in Russia

Russian law enforcement authorities have detained six more members and executives of the notorious crypto Ponzi scheme Finiko. Police in the Republic of Tatarstan and Russia proper have conducted dozens of searches as part of an ongoing investigation into the pyramid, which defrauded investors around the world. New Arrests in Finiko Case Made in Russian … Read more

Court Decision Voids Crypto Mining Contracts in China, Shuts Down Bitcoin Farms

A court in Beijing has ruled that three investment agreements for bitcoin mining operations in Sichuan are “invalid.” A compensation claim has been rejected in the case, viewed as an indication that the Chinese judiciary would not provide protection for crypto-related interests. Beijing Court Invalidates Bitcoin Mining Contracts The Chaoyang District People’s Court in the … Read more

Russian Court Confirms Arrest Warrants for 3 Finiko Founders

Tatarstan’s highest court has rejected appeals against arrest warrants issued for three co-founders of the notorious Finiko crypto pyramid. The top representatives of the Ponzi scheme, accused of large-scale fraud in Russia, are still hiding abroad, media reports reveal. Three Finiko Ponzi Scheme Members Still Wanted The Supreme Court of Tatarstan, a republic of the … Read more

Russian Police Arrest 2 Women, High-Ranking Members of Finiko Crypto Pyramid

Law enforcement in the Russian republic of Tatarstan have made new arrests in connection with the crypto Ponzi scheme Finiko. Two women detained this week are believed to have attracted millions of dollars to the pyramid. The now collapsed Finiko lured investors from a number of countries in the post-Soviet space and around the world, … Read more

Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Stealing Nearly $7 Million of Crypto in Israel

Afek Zard, a resident of Israel, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for embezzling a large sum of cryptocurrency that belonged to a friend of his. The man, who refused to cooperate with the investigation, will have to pay a hefty fine as well. Israeli Resident Sentenced for Cryptocurrency Theft The 27-year-old Zard … Read more