Anatoly Legkodymov, a Russian national and former CEO of Cryptocurrency Exchange Bitzlato, would have asked Federal Pardon from the American president Donald Trump after a guilt plea in 2023 and served 18 months in prison.
According to a Friday report from the point of sale of the Russian state media TASS, the Legkodymov legal team officially asked Trump a presidential forgiveness after pleading guilty of having operated a money transmission company without license. Legkodymov was charged in January 2023, pleaded guilty in December and was sentenced to a period in July 2024 after being detained for about 18 months.
“Anatoly […] has become a target in a political campaign against the cryptographic market and talented Russian programmers, “said Ivan Melnikov, vice-president of the Russian branch of the International Human Rights Committee, according to TASS.” His decision to ask for a forgiveness is based on the hope that the United States will return to a more balanced and equitable approach to digital finance. »»
According to his indictment, Legkodymov was part of an operation that facilitated the transmission of illicit funds thanks to his role in Bitzlato. US authorities have allegedly allegedly allegedly, hundreds of millions of dollars have gone from Bitzlato to the Dark Web Hydra market, and the exchange received around $ 15 million connected to ransomware attacks.
In relation: The founder of Binance, CZ Zhao, asked Trump to forgive a conviction for money laundering
The French authorities would have tried to extradite Legkodymov to face similar accusations after his stay in the United States. It is not known if Trump received the request for forgiveness or if he will act on it.
Cointelegraph stretched out the White House to comment but had not received an answer at the time of publication.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sumyssrjvzm
Sorry for the figures of the cryptographic industry which pleaded guilty or were condemned
Since his entry into office in January, Trump has published at least 58 presidential pardons. Among them were the founder of Silk Road, Ross Ulbricht, who had been sentenced to two life sentences in the federal prison, and four former Bitmex cryptocurrency exchange leaders: Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, Gregory Dwyer and Samuel Reed.
The former CEO of Binance, Changpeng, “CZ” Zhao, said in May that he had asked for forgiveness from Trump. Zhao pleaded guilty to a crime accusation in November 2023 as part of an agreement between the American authorities and the Binance. He served four months in prison.
Reports have suggested that the former CEO of the FTX, Sam Bankman, has also tried to obtain a federal forgiveness from Trump by speaking of the conservative media and by distancing himself from the Democratic Party. Bankman Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2024 and was hosted at the federal correctional establishment on the terminal island on Friday.
Review: Trump crypto companies raise conflicts of interest, initiate negotiation issues
