The U.S. Department of Justice seized over $2.8 million in cryptocurrency in a ransomware money laundering case.
the US Department of Justice announced that after unsealing six search warrants in federal courts in Virginia, California, and Texas, more than $2.8 million in encrypted currency, $70,000 in cash, and a luxury car were seized. These assets are said to be related to the money laundering of ransomware crime proceeds by Ianis Aleksandrovich Antropenko, who is currently facing charges in the Northern District of Texas.
According to the indictment, Antropenko and his accomplices deployed the Zeppelin ransomware to invade victims' systems, encrypt data, steal information, and then demand ransom in exchange for decrypting files, preventing leaks, or deleting stolen data. Victims include individuals, businesses, and institutions in the US and abroad.
The search warrants show that Antropenko laundered ransom proceeds through various channels, including using ChipMixer - a cryptocurrency mixing service that was dismantled in 2023 as part of an international law enforcement operation. He also converted cryptocurrency into cash and deposited it in batches to evade regulation.
