Operator of Sanctioned Russian Crypto Exchange Garantex Arrested in India
Reports have surfaced that Aleksej Besciokov, one of the operators of the sanctioned Russian cryptocurrency exchange Garantex, was arrested in India on Tuesday. The 46-year-old Lithuanian national and Russian resident was reportedly taken into custody by police in the Indian state of Kerala while vacationing on the country’s southern coast with his family.
International Law Enforcement Agencies Seize Garantex’s Domains and Servers
Last week, a coalition of international law enforcement agencies from the U.S., Germany, and Finland made a significant move against Garantex. They seized the exchange’s domains and servers and froze nearly $28 million in cryptocurrency linked to the platform with the assistance of stablecoin issuer Tether. Garantex had been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) in 2022 for its involvement in facilitating money laundering for ransomware actors like Conti and Black Basta, as well as darknet markets such as Hydra, the world’s largest before its shutdown in 2022.
Allegations of Money Laundering and Sanctions Evasion
Aside from its alleged money laundering activities for criminal groups, Garantex was also implicated in sanctions evasion efforts. The exchange reportedly played a significant role in helping Russian oligarchs evade sanctions, with connections to upscale sanctions evasion services like the TGR Group.
Furthermore, Garantex was linked to the Lazarus Group, North Korea’s infamous hacking squad responsible for the $1.5 billion Bybit heist last month.
Legal Action Taken Against Operators
Following the seizure of Garantex, U.S. prosecutors charged Besciokov and another operator, 40-year-old Russian Aleksandr Mira Serda, who resides in the United Arab Emirates, with conspiracy to commit money laundering. Besciokov is currently on the U.S. Secret Service’s Most Wanted list.
Both the Kerala police and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) have yet to provide any official statements regarding Besciokov’s reported arrest.
For more details on the seizure and charges against Garantex’s operators, you can refer to the original reports.