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Roman Sterlingov, 36, a dual Russian-Swedish national, has been sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison for his role in facilitating money laundering activities between 2011 and 2021 through his cryptocurrency mixing service, Bitcoin Fog.
Roman Sterlingov, founder of Bitcoin Fog, a notorious cryptocurrency mixing service, has been sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison for money laundering activities. BTCog processed over 1.2 million bitcoin transactions worth approximately $400 million, mostly from darknet marketplaces involved in illegal narcotics and cybercrime. The US Department of Justice described Bitcoin Fog as the "darknet's longest-running cryptocurrency mixer" due to its notorious reputation among cybercriminals. Sterlingov laundered over $400 million in criminal proceeds through his service, tied to drug trafficking, computer crime, identity theft, and child sexual abuse material.
Bitcoin Fog, a notorious cryptocurrency mixing service, has finally come to an end. Roman Sterlingov, the 36-year-old founder of the company, has been sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison for his role in facilitating money laundering activities between 2011 and 2021.
Sterlingov's rise to notoriety began with his creation of Bitcoin Fog, a darknet-based cryptocurrency mixing service that allowed users to conceal the source of their cryptocurrency proceeds. The service gained popularity among cybercriminals seeking to hide their illicit gains from law enforcement. Over the course of its decade-long operation, Bitcoin Fog processed transactions involving over 1.2 million bitcoin, valued at approximately $400 million at the time the transactions occurred.
The majority of this cryptocurrency came from darknet marketplaces and was tied to illegal narcotics, computer crimes, identity theft, and child sexual abuse material. The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) described Bitcoin Fog as "the darknet's longest-running cryptocurrency mixer," highlighting its notorious reputation among cybercriminals.
Sterlingov's illicit money laundering operation involved laundering over $400 million in criminal proceeds through his service, which was open for business to criminals looking to hide dirty money. According to Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the DoJ's Criminal Division, Sterlingov helped criminals launder proceeds of drug trafficking, computer crime, identity theft, and the sexual exploitation of children.
The development comes as a day after the DoJ also sentenced a Nigerian national, Babatunde Francis Ayeni, to ten years in federal prison for his role in a massive cyber fraud conspiracy that claimed over 400 victims in the U.S., leading to a cumulative loss of nearly $20 million. This sentence serves as another example of the Department's commitment to cracking down on cybercrime and money laundering operations.
In recent weeks, the DoJ has been actively pursuing high-profile cases involving cryptocurrency-related crimes. Last week, Kolade Akinwale Ojelade, a 34-year-old Nigerian man, was sentenced to more than 26 years in prison for deceiving prospective homeowners and others out of down payments using an adversary-in-the-middle (AitM) email phishing and spoofing attack that caused money transfers to be routed to bank accounts under his control.
The sentencing also follows the arrest of 130 suspects comprising 113 foreign nationals, mainly of Chinese and Malaysian origin, and 17 Nigerian collaborators by the Nigeria Police Force for their "alleged involvement in high-level cybercrimes, hacking, and activities that threaten national security." These arrests demonstrate the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat the growing threat of cryptocurrency-related crimes.
The case against Sterlingov highlights the importance of addressing money laundering operations in the cryptocurrency space. As cryptocurrency continues to gain mainstream acceptance, it is essential for regulatory bodies to implement robust measures to prevent illicit activities and ensure that these services are not being used to facilitate criminal transactions.
In conclusion, the sentencing of Roman Sterlingov serves as a warning to those involved in facilitating money laundering activities through cryptocurrencies. The DoJ's commitment to combating cybercrime and cryptocurrency-related crimes will continue to be a priority, ensuring that those who engage in such illicit activities face severe consequences. As the cryptocurrency landscape continues to evolve, it is crucial for regulatory bodies and law enforcement agencies to work together to prevent the misuse of these services.
Related Information:
https://thehackernews.com/2024/11/bitcoin-fog-founder-sentenced-to-12.html
Published: Sat Nov 9 00:58:56 2024 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
