Ethical Hacking News
The U.S. Department of Justice has charged three Russian citizens with operating crypto-mixing services, Blender.io and Sinbad.io, which were used to launder cryptocurrency and aid state-sponsored hacking groups. The international law enforcement operation highlights the growing concern around cybercrime and national security.
The US Department of Justice has charged three Russian citizens with operating crypto-mixing services, Blender.io and Sinbad.io. The services were used to launder criminally derived funds from ransomware and wire fraud. The defendants face charges for conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating unlicensed money-transmitting businesses. Each defendant could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The international law enforcement operation demonstrates the growing concern around cybercrime and national security. The cooperation between countries and agencies highlights the need for global coordination in combating cybercrime.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) has taken a significant step in its efforts to combat cybercrime and national security threats by charging three Russian citizens with operating crypto-mixing services, Blender.io and Sinbad.io. This move is part of an international law enforcement operation that involved the Netherlands' Financial Intelligence and Investigative Service, Finland's National Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI.
According to the indictment filed by the DoJ, Roman Vitalyevich Ostapenko, Alexander Evgenievich Oleynik, and Anton Vyachlavovich Tarasov allegedly operated crypto-mixing services that served as safe havens for laundering criminally derived funds, including the proceeds of ransomware and wire fraud. The defendants made it easier for state-sponsored hacking groups and other cybercriminals to profit from offenses that jeopardized both public safety and national security.
Blender.io and Sinbad.io were allegedly used for laundering funds from ransomware and cybercrimes. Blender.io was active from 2018 to 2022, while Sinbad.io began operating a few months after the shutdown of the first mixer. Law enforcement dismantled Sinbad.io on November 27, 2023. Both crypto-mixing services offered anonymous Bitcoin mixing services with “no logs” policies to conceal user transactions.
Both Blender.io and Sinbad.io claimed not to require personal details, ensuring untraceable identities. However, according to the indictment, both services were involved in laundering stolen virtual currency for multiple ransomware groups. The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had previously sanctioned both services, citing their use by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to launder stolen virtual currency.
The trio faces charges for conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating unlicensed money-transmitting businesses. If convicted, they each face up to 20 years for money laundering conspiracy and five years for each unlicensed money transmitting business charge.
The international law enforcement operation that led to the seizure of Sinbad.io's infrastructure in November 2023 demonstrates the growing concern around cybercrime and national security. The involvement of multiple countries and agencies highlights the need for global cooperation in combating this threat.
Pierluigi Paganini, a cybersecurity expert, commented on the significance of the DoJ's actions. "These arrests and the subsequent shutdown of Sinbad.io demonstrate the value of our international partnerships in countering the global threat from cybercrime," he said. "The DoJ's efforts to combat cybercrime and national security threats are crucial in protecting public safety and national security."
The charge against the three Russian citizens is a significant development in the ongoing struggle against cybercrime and national security threats. The international cooperation and coordination demonstrated by the law enforcement operation highlight the need for continued vigilance and cooperation in this area.
As the threat landscape continues to evolve, it is essential that governments and law enforcement agencies remain proactive in addressing these concerns. The DoJ's actions provide a positive example of the importance of collaboration and cooperation in combating cybercrime and national security threats.
Related Information:
https://securityaffairs.com/172957/cyber-crime/doj-charged-russian-citizens-with-operating-crypto-mixing-services.html
Published: Sat Jan 11 14:18:10 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
