Light-weight Anatoly

Light-weight Anatoly

Biography

2023: Arrest in case of criminals using crypto exchange

On January 18, 2023, it became known about the detention of 40-year-old Russian Anatoly Legkodymov. He, according to the US Department of Justice, is the main owner and top manager of the cryptocurrency exchange Bitzlato, which is accused of money laundering.

According to the American authorities, through the Bitzlato crypto exchange registered in Hong Kong, money received in the shadow markets of the Internet was laundered. According to the US Department of Justice, the crypto exchange allowed criminals to process more than $700 million in funds, and received more than $15 million from the criticism exchange at the expense of ransomware. The largest counterparty to Bitzlato, according to a press release from the Ministry of Justice, was the Russian darknet market Hydra.

Bitzlato has repeatedly facilitated transactions for Russia-linked ransomware groups, including Conti, which has ties to the Russian government and in the darknet markets associated with Russia, said US Deputy Finance Minister Wally Adeyemo. Conti is a Russian-speaking ransomware group that calls itself patriots. Their goals are most often structures from the United States (58.4%), as well as from Canada (7%), England (6.6%) and Germany (5.8%), they do not touch Russia.

It is noted that Legkodymov managed the crypto exchange all 2022, living in Miami, and at the same time, according to the prosecution, he was aware that a significant part of the crypto exchange users received funds illegally. If a Russian is found guilty of the charges, he could face up to five years in prison. If Legkodymov is found guilty, he will face up to five years in prison.

According to the US Deputy Attorney General, the arrest of the co-founder of the crypto exchange and actions against the crypto exchange "are a warning" to everyone involved in illegal activities on the Internet.^[1]

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