US imposes sanctions on Russia for cybercrime and money laundering
The US government has imposed sanctions against Russian virtual financial platforms PM2BTC, Cryptex and individual Russian citizens for cybercrime and money laundering.
This is stated in an official statement by the US Treasury Department on Thursday, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrinform.
"Today, the U.S. Treasury Department is taking steps as part of a coordinated international effort to shut down Russian cybercrime services," the statement said.
In particular, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) imposes restrictions against the Russian virtual currency exchange PM2BTC, which is involved in money laundering in Russia. In addition, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposes sanctions against Russian citizen Sergei Ivanov, who plays a significant role in money laundering, as well as against the virtual currency exchange Cryptex, registered in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
It is noted that the FinCEN and OFAC sanctions are coordinated with the actions of other US government agencies and international partners.
The U.S. State Department has also reportedly offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Ivanov. In addition, the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia have announced formal charges against Ivanov and another Russian, Timur Shakhmametov, in this regard.
