Person Who Laundered Money With crypto Deported

According to a statement from the United States Department of Justice. It was reported that the defendant was deported from Greece due to facing crimes arising from the activities of BTC-e. This illegal Bitcoin exchange allegedly received over $4 billion in deposits.

The US Increases Crypto Money Laundering Operations

Greece has extradited the alleged operator of the illegal cryptocurrency exchange BTC-e on charges in the Northern Territory of California. “After more than five years of litigation, the Russian citizen Alexander Vinnik was extradited to the United States yesterday and is responsible for operating BTC-e, a cryptocurrency exchange that laundered more than $3 billion in criminal proceeds,” the deputy attorney general said.

France was successful in 2020 when Vinnik faced five years in prison for alleged money laundering. More recently, the US reportedly called off its extradition request. But his lawyer suggested that was a distraction trick aimed at expediting the process through Greece — where Vinnik was initially arrested. (1)

“This extradition demonstrates the Department’s commitment to investigating and eliminating illegal cyber activity, and this extradition would not have been possible without the relentless work of the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs,” said Kenneth. 

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network imposed a $110 million fine on BTC-e and a $12 million fine against Vinnik for their role in the violations in 2017.  (2)