In brief
Aleksej Besciokov, wanted by US authorities for allegedly laundering money through a Russian crypto exchange, has been detained in India as investigations continue into Garantex's illegal operations.
Authorities in India have arrested Aleksej Besciokov, a Lithuanian citizen residing in Russia, in connection with cryptocurrency crimes. The detention took place in Kerala, and he is wanted by the US for allegedly helping cybercriminals launder funds and violate sanctions via his role at Garantex, a Russian cryptocurrency exchange. The US Justice Department (DOJ) states that Besciokov was a key administrator for Garantex, responsible for approving transactions. Although he is now in custody, details about his travel to India remain unclear. The arrest was made following a provisional warrant from India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at the request of US officials. Besciokov is expected to appear in a Delhi court soon, although the timing of his possible extradition remains unknown. The DOJ recently reported that Garantex has processed about $96 billion in transactions since 2019, with funds allegedly linked to various crimes such as hacking, terrorism, and drug trafficking. Furthermore, the US Treasury had previously sanctioned Garantex in 2022 following claims that Besciokov and his team had altered their operations to evade these sanctions.
