On April 14, 2023, the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the Southern District of New York revealed that the hacker responsible for the Silk Road marketplace breach had been sentenced to a year in prison for wire fraud charges. James Zhong stole more than 50,000 bitcoin from the darknet marketplace (DNM) in September 2012. DOJ…
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A draft law designed to regulate crypto mining in Russia introduces harsh penalties for miners failing to report digital assets to the state. In its latest revision, the bill also threatens to punish those who organize illegal trading of cryptocurrencies with imprisonment and hefty fines. Forced Labor Awaits Miners and Traders Who Operate Outside Law,…
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Three Russians are going to spend time in high-security prison for stealing over a million U.S. dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency from another man. In addition, the court has also ordered them to fully compensate the victim for the damages, prosecutors announced. Robbers Get Prison Sentence for Cryptocurrency Theft in Russia A court in the Russian…
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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…
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A lawyer representing Russian IT specialist Alexander Vinnik has urged the government in Moscow to discuss a potential exchange of prisoners with the United States, where he was recently extradited. The French legal expert is convinced only a return to his homeland could save Vinnik who has deteriorating health after solitary confinement in France and…
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Alexander Vinnik, the alleged owner and operator of the infamous cryptocurrency exchange BTC-e, has been found not eligible for release on bail in the United States, where he was recently transferred from Greece. The Russian, accused of large-scale money laundering through the now-defunct trading platform, and other crimes, rejects U.S. charges. Alexander Vinnik Remains in…
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U.S. authorities have withdrawn their request to extradite the alleged operator of crypto exchange BTC-e Alexander Vinnik from France, his French lawyer informed Russian media. Vinnik’s defense suspects, however, that the move is intended to actually speed up his extradition through Greece.
Lawyer Says Washington Wants Vinnik to Remain in Prison
The United…
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The interior ministry of Russia has decided to go after those providing money-laundering services to crypto fraudsters, suggesting they should go to prison. The department wants to introduce criminal liability for the activities of these people, also known as ‘droppers.’ Law Enforcement in Russia Targets Droppers Involved in Fraudulent Crypto Schemes The Ministry of Internal…
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Russian law enforcement officials are investigating a crypto mining operation at Butyrka, Russia’s oldest prison. A deputy warden has been accused of stealing electricity to mint digital coins with the help of unidentified accomplices. Deputy Warden Suspected of Mining Cryptocurrency in Moscow Prison A high-ranking representative of the management of Butyrskaya prison, in the Tverskoy…
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Following his release from prison, the former hedge fund manager and convicted felon, Martin Shkreli, discussed cryptocurrencies and using the decentralized exchange (dex) platform Uniswap from a federal penitentiary. The so-called ‘Pharma Bro’ further explained that eventually, a crypto entity could dethrone some of the largest banking giants. Martin Shkreli Talks Defi and Cryptocurrencies Martin…
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