Global Effort Disrupts Russia Linked Network Using Crypto to Evade Sanctions, U.S. Charges Two Russians
Russian nationals Sergey Ivanov and Timur Shakhmametov face charges for operating money laundering services for cybercriminals using cryptocurrencies. The U.S. Department of State has offered $10 million rewards for information leading to their arrests. Authorities seized websites linked to three illicit cryptocurrency exchanges in a coordinated effort with international partners. Ivanov conducted over $1.15 billion in transactions and faces charges related to bank fraud and money laundering for supporting carding websites. Shakhmametov, known as “JokerStash,” faces similar charges and an additional count for access device fraud, linked to the sale of data from 40 million payment cards annually. The operation disrupted a global cryptocurrency network, with significant transactions linked to darknet drug trafficking and ransomware activities.
