Before Western sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine invasion began in February 2022, U.S. authorities were cracking down on the Russian crypto scene. Since the beginning of the new sanctions in 2022, the American approach against the Russian crypto scene, which is under general suspicion of money laundering and sanctions violations, has intensified and is bringing charges against Russian crypto schemes and their masterminds.
A few days ago, FinTelegram reported the arrest of a 29-year-old man in the Netherlands, who allegedly laundered money through the crypto blender Tornado Cash. The arrest was made on a warrant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The Russian Denis Mihaqlovic Dubnikov and accomplices are alleged to have laundered money from ransomware attacks. He was extradited from the Netherlands to the U.S.; a five-day jury trial is scheduled to begin on 4 Oct 2022.