U.S. and allies take down Garantex—Russia’s rogue crypto exchange! In a major international operation, the DOJ, Germany, and Finland seized Garantex’s domains and servers, cutting off a $96 billion laundering pipeline linked to cybercrime, terrorism, and drug trafficking. Two administrators—Aleksej Besciokov and Aleksandr Mira Serda—are indicted for money laundering and sanctions violations.
Key Takeaways:
- Garantex, a Russian crypto exchange, shut down in a coordinated U.S.-EU law enforcement operation.
- DOJ indicts two administrators: Aleksej Besciokov (Lithuanian-Russian) and Aleksandr Mira Serda (Russian-UAE).
- $96 billion in transactions processed—linked to ransomware, hacking, drugs, and terrorism.
- U.S. seizes three Garantex domains, freezes $26 million in illicit funds.
- German & Finnish authorities seize hosting servers.
- Garantex allegedly violated U.S. sanctions, continued laundering despite OFAC blacklist.
Read our Garantex reports here.
The Story:
The U.S. DOJ just obliterated Garantex, a major Russian crypto exchange accused of fueling global crime syndicates, terrorist networks, and dark web markets. In a joint effort with Germany and Finland, law enforcement seized servers, froze funds, and took down Garantex’s domains—marking a major victory in the war on illicit finance.
But that’s not all. The DOJ unsealed charges against Garantex’s top brass:
- Aleksej Besciokov, 46, was Garantex’s technical mastermind, managing transactions and infrastructure.
- Aleksandr Mira Serda, 40, co-founded the exchange and drove its business strategy.
Both are now wanted for money laundering and sanctions violations, facing up to 20 years in prison.
How They Got Caught:
Garantex was already on the U.S. Treasury’s sanctions list since 2022, but that didn’t stop its operators. Instead, they doubled down, using shell companies and constantly shifting crypto wallets to evade detection. The DOJ alleges they knowingly laundered hundreds of millions in criminal proceeds, including ransomware payments and illicit drug funds.
When Russian law enforcement requested data on Serda’s account, Garantex deliberately falsified records to cover his tracks—while still cooperating with Moscow on other cases.
Now, with its digital infrastructure dismantled and its administrators on the run, the once-thriving laundering operation has hit a dead end.
What’s Next?
- U.S. law enforcement is holding onto earlier Garantex server copies, meaning authorities have a goldmine of transaction data on users and partners.
- More seizures and arrests could follow as authorities trace criminal networks linked to Garantex.
- U.S. Treasury and FinCEN expected to tighten regulations, making it harder for Russian crypto laundering outfits to operate.
Call for Information:
Have insights on Garantex’s criminal network, affiliated wallets, or shell companies? Reach out to FinTelegram—your information matters!
