U.S. prompts Indian authorities to apprehend individual suspected of operating $96 billion cryptocurrency platform
A Lithuanian fugitive, Aleksej Besciokov, now finds himself in Indian custody, following a relentless pursuit by the United States over accusations of running a mammoth cryptocurrency exchange that served as a haven for terrorists, drug dealers, and cyber criminals.
This arrest concludes an intense manhunt led by the U.S., escalating last week with the seizure of the crypto exchange, a freeze on $26 million in assets, and the unveiling of an indictment against Besciokov and an alleged associate.
The U.S. aims to extradite Besciokov to the Eastern District of Virginia, marking a significant stride in the longstanding fight against services allegedly fueling global crime and terrorism. Despite a sometimes relaxed stance on Russia in certain sectors like offensive cyber operations, the Justice Department continues to aggressively pursue individuals with ties to Russia.
Besciokov reportedly resided in Russia, yet the reason behind his visit to India remains unclear.
Indian authorities in the southwest state of Kerala made the arrest, as confirmed by the Central Bureau of Investigation in a statement labeling Besciokov as a "fugitive."
US Justice Department spokesperson Nicole Navas Oxman confirmed the arrest in an email to CNN, declining to offer additional comments. Efforts to reach a lawyer representing Besciokov were unsuccessful.
The arrest occurred barely a week after the Justice Department unveiled an indictment against Besciokov and a Russian national, Aleksandr Mira Serda. Besciokov was suspected of maintaining the exchange's operations, while Serda co-founded the exchange and held the position of "chief commercial officer."
Besciokov's case exemplifies how apprehending accused money launderers is a potent method for disrupting their activities. The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the exchange in 2022, prompting Besciokov and others to redesign the exchange's operations to elude sanctions and con artists US businesses into collaborating with the exchange, as alleged by the Justice Department. The exchange processed an astonishing $96 billion in transactions between 2015 and 2019, according to the indictment.
- The extradition of Aleksej Besciokov to the Eastern District of Virginia, initiated by the U.S., is a significant step in the longstanding fight against services allegedly fueling global crime and terrorism.
- The arrest of Aleksej Besciokov in India was facilitated by the Central Bureau of Investigation, as confirmed in a statement, yet the reason behind his visit remains unclear.
3.US Justice Department spokesperson Nicole Navas Oxman confirmed the arrest of Aleksej Besciokov through an email, mentioning the indictment against him and his alleged associate, who is a Russian national named Aleksandr Mira Serda.
