Three Russian Nationals Indicted for Operating Crypto Mixers
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia has indicted three Russian nationals for their alleged roles in operating crypto mixers Blender.io and Sinbad.io — tools used to launder funds tied to cybercrime, including ransomware and virtual currency thefts.
Charges and Arrests
The indictment, published on Jan. 10, charges Roman Vitalyevich Ostapenko, Alexander Evgenievich Oleynik, and Anton Vyachlavovich Tarasov with conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating unlicensed money-transmitting businesses. Ostapenko and Oleynik were arrested on Dec. 1, 2024, while Tarasov remains at large.
Allegations and Operations
Authorities allege that Blender.io and Sinbad.io facilitated illicit transactions by masking the origins of crypto obtained through criminal activities. Both platforms were heavily used by state-sponsored hacking groups and other cyber criminals.
Blender.io, operational from 2018 to 2022, promoted a “No Logs Policy” and boasted that it required no personal information from users. Sinbad.io, which launched after Blender.io ceased operations, followed similar practices. The FBI and its international partners dismantled Sinbad.io in November 2023.
Sanctions and Consequences
Both platforms were eventually sanctioned by the US Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for laundering funds for state-sponsored hacking groups, including North Korea’s. If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison for money laundering conspiracy and an additional five years for each count of operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business.
International Cooperation
This case highlights the power of international cooperation, with contributions from law enforcement agencies in the Netherlands, Finland, and Australia. The FBI is leading the investigation with assistance from the Justice Department’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team.
An indictment is an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
