A double Russian-Swedish national was sentenced on Friday to 12 years and six months behind bars, for helping cyber criminals to launder their money for a decade long period.
Roman Sterlingov, 36, carried out the Bitcoin Fog Crypto Mixer from 2011 to 2021, with 1.2 million Bitcoin being processed, with a value of approximately $ 400 million at the time of the transactions.
Most of these funds were linked to transactions from dark web marketplace for drugs, computer -related crimes, identity fraud and material for child abuse, according to the Ministry of Justice (DOJ).
The conviction comes after a jury in March of this year that Sterlingov was guilty of money laundering, money laundering, the operation of a money sent without a permit and money transfer without a license in the district or Columbia.
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“Roman Sterlingov was more than $ 400 million white in the criminal proceeds via Bitcoin FOG, his cryptocurrency ‘mixing’ service that was open to companies for criminals who wanted to hide dirty money,” said main advisory assistant -general -general Nicole of the Division of the Division of the Division of the Ministry of the Ministry of the Ministry of the Ministry of the Ministry of the Ministry of the Ministry of the Ministry of the Ministry of Justion of Justionie van Justertiei.
“Due to his illegal money laundering operation, Sterlingov criminals helped the proceeds of drug trafficking, computer crime, identity theft and the sexual exploitation of children today. The conviction of today underlines the dedication of the Ministry of Justice to keep the criminal activities fully responsible for their crimes.”
Sterlingov was also sentenced to pay more than $ 395 million and forfeited crypto and other assets with a value of $ 1.8 million, as well as his interest in the Bitcoin Fog portion, which was 1345 bitcoin with a value of more than $ 103 million.
Crypto mixers are a popular way for threat actors to hide the source of their funds and throw blockchain researchers from the scent.
Legal enforcers have been playing a game of Whack-a-Mole for years with the operators of such services. In February 2023 it turned out that the “blender” mixer, which was widely used by North Korean hackers, was renamed “Sinbad” in an attempt to circumvent sanctions and control.
Sterlingov was arrested in April 2021 after advertising Bitcoin -Mist on a Twitter page and via a Clearnet site.