A Crypto founder was arrested in New York for allegedly used his cryptographic firm, Evita Pay, to channel around $ 530 million in the United States with Russian banks sanctioned to help Russians access very sensitive American technology.
Iurii Gugnin was struck by a 22 -year -old indictment and will face charges related to thread and benches, money laundering and operating a license -free money transmission company, among others, the United States Ministry of Justice said on Monday.
If he is condemned, Gugnin could spend life behind bars. This is the last case involving the use of the crypto to try to bypass the sanctions and to whiten the funds.
The Doj alleys that Gugnin has exploited a sprawling silver money laundering system from June 2023 to January 2025, dealing with Stablecoin Tether (USDT) transactions on behalf of Russian customers linked to blacklist banks like Sberbank, VTB, SOVCOMBANK and TINKOFF.
According to John A. Eisenberg, deputy prosecutor general for national security, Gugnin transformed his crypto company into a “secret pipeline for dirty money”, moving around $ 530 million via the American financial system to help Russian banks sanctioned and help users of Russian purposes to acquire sensitive American technologies:
“The Ministry of Justice will not hesitate to court those who endanger our national security by allowing our foreign opponents to bypass sanctions and export controls.”
Gugnin would have lied to the American banks on the Russian links of Evita, handled invoices to hide customer identities and ignore the anti-whiteness rules despite the recording of the Evita remuneration as a company of transmission of money in Florida using false declarations, said the DoJ.
Cointelegraph stretched out Evita Pay for comments but did not receive an immediate response.
The founder of the crypto suspected that he was investigated
Gugnin would also have done research on the web like: “am I investigated” and “signs that you might be under a criminal investigation”, according to the Doj, which affirms that these searches said that he was aware that he is breaking the law.
In relation: TETHER USDT Stablecoin seen on Bolivian store price labels
“What are the best ways to know if you have investigated and that someone can do when he thinks he could be under investigation,” also searched Gugnin on the web.
GUGNIN Risk for life
GUGNIN risks up to 30 years in prison for each bank chief banking, a maximum of 20 years for each chief of fraud per thread and up to 10 years for having omitted to implement an effective anti-flowage program and the non-deportation of suspicious activity reports.
The Crypto founder could receive up to five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Review: Baby-boomers worth $ 79 t finally get on board with Bitcoin
