In a significant operation, the Indian police arrested Aleksej Besciokov, a cryptocurrency exchange administrator implicated in money laundering and sanctions violations, as part of a cross-border effort led by the US government.
India Captures Crypto Administrator Linked to Russian Sanctions Evading Case
India Captures Crypto Administrator Linked to Russian Sanctions Evading Case
Indian authorities apprehend Aleksej Besciokov, a crypto exchange administrator, wanted by the US for aiding cybercrime.
In a groundbreaking operation, Indian law enforcement has apprehended Aleksej Besciokov, a Lithuanian citizen residing in Russia, who is wanted in the United States for allegedly aiding cybercriminals in laundering money and violating international sanctions. The arrest took place in Kerala, a southern state of India, on Tuesday, according to India’s premier investigative agency.
Besciokov is known to be an administrator for Garantex, a Russian cryptocurrency exchange that has come under scrutiny for its large-scale operations. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) claims that he played a vital role in overseeing the transactions on the platform. Although details regarding Besciokov’s purpose in India remain unclear, he has been detained pending further legal proceedings.
In line with a provisional arrest warrant issued by India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at the request of US authorities, Besciokov is set to appear before a court in Delhi. However, the timeline for his extradition to the United States has not yet been disclosed.
Recent reports from the DOJ indicate that Garantex has processed an astonishing $96 billion in cryptocurrency transactions since 2019, allegedly including proceeds from various forms of crime such as cyber hacking, drug trafficking, and terrorism financing. Along with Besciokov, US law enforcement has charged Garantex's co-founder, Aleksandr Mira Serda, with similar charges related to money laundering.
The US Treasury Department had previously sanctioned Garantex in 2022, but the DOJ alleges that Besciokov and his team restructured the exchange to bypass these sanctions and attract American business engagement. Following these developments, the collaboration between the US, Germany, and Finland led to the dismantling of the online infrastructure utilized by Garantex last week. Besciokov’s case underscores the growing need for international cooperation in curbing cybercrime and reinforcing financial compliance measures across borders.
