State of Georgia indicts 3 developers behind mixing services Blender, Sinbad
A federal grand jury in Georgia indicted three Russian nationals for operating crypto mixers Blender.io and Sinbad.io, which allegedly laundered funds linked to cybercrime, including ransomware and virtual currency thefts. The indictment charges Roman Vitalyevich Ostapenko, Alexander Evgenievich Oleynik, and Anton Vyachlavovich Tarasov with conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating unlicensed money-transmitting businesses. Ostapenko and Oleynik were arrested on December 1, 2024, while Tarasov remains at large. The mixers obscured the origins of crypto obtained through criminal activities and were reportedly used by state-sponsored hacking groups. Blender.io operated from 2018 to 2022, promoting a “No Logs Policy,” while Sinbad.io launched afterward. Both platforms were sanctioned by the US Treasury for laundering funds for state-sponsored hackers. If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison for money laundering conspiracy and additional years for operating unlicensed businesses. The investigation involved international cooperation from law enforcement agencies in multiple countries.
