Financial Crime Weekly: Darknet Money Laundering, Crypto Scams, Invesco Pays $17.5M SEC Penalty
Man Sentenced To 12 ½ Years For Bitcoin Money Laundering On The Darknet
Roman Sterlingov was sentenced last Friday to 12 years and six months in prison for his operation of the longest-running Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) money laundering service on the darknet.
Sterlingov was also ordered to pay a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $395,563,025.39 and forfeiture of seized cryptocurrencies and monetary assets valued at approximately $1.76 million. Additionally, he was ordered to forfeit his interest in the Bitcoin Fog wallet, totaling approximately 1,345 bitcoin and currently valued at more than $103 million.
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According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from 2011 through 2021, Sterlingov was involved in operating Bitcoin Fog, the darknet’s longest-running cryptocurrency “mixer.” Bitcoin Fog became known as a money laundering service for criminals and processed transactions involving over 1.2 million bitcoin, valued at approximately $400 million at the time the transactions occurred.
“Roman Sterlingov ran the longest-running bitcoin money laundering service on the darknet, and today he paid the price,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
“In the deepest corners of the internet, he provided …
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