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3mo ago

Three Russians Charged for Operating Crypto Mixers Used by Hackers

The U.S. DOJ alleges the defendants helped launder funds for North Korean hackers and ransomware groups, jeopardizing public safety and national security.

Overview

  • Russian nationals Roman Ostapenko, Alexander Oleynik, and Anton Tarasov are accused of running crypto mixers Blender.io and Sinbad.io to launder illicit funds.
  • Blender.io and Sinbad.io allegedly facilitated money laundering for state-sponsored North Korean hackers and ransomware gangs, among others.
  • Ostapenko and Oleynik were arrested in December 2024, while Tarasov remains at large, according to the DOJ.
  • The services were dismantled in international law enforcement operations involving agencies from the U.S., Netherlands, and Finland.
  • The accused face charges of money laundering and operating unlicensed money transmitting businesses, with potential sentences of up to 30 years in prison.