DOJ Indicts 3 Russians for Operating Crypto Mixers Linked to Cybercrime

DOJ Indicts 3 Russians for Operating Crypto Mixers Linked to Cybercrime

Russian Nationals Charged for Laundering Cryptocurrency Proceeds from Cybercrime

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on January 10 the indictment of three Russian nationals accused of operating cryptocurrency mixers to launder proceeds from criminal activities. Roman Vitalyevich Ostapenko, Alexander Evgenievich Oleynik, and Anton Vyachlavovich Tarasov face charges of facilitating money laundering through Blender.io and Sinbad.io—services designed to obscure the origins of illicit funds. While Ostapenko and Oleynik were apprehended in December 2024, Tarasov remains at large. Sinbad.io’s infrastructure was dismantled in 2023 following a coordinated international law enforcement operation.

Brent S. Wible, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, remarked:

"According to the indictment, the defendants operated cryptocurrency ‘mixers’ that served as safe havens for laundering criminally derived funds, including the proceeds of ransomware and wire fraud."

Facilitating Cybercrime Through Mixer Services

Blender.io and Sinbad.io allegedly catered to cybercriminals by enabling users to anonymize cryptocurrency transactions for a fee. Prosecutors claim these mixers were instrumental in laundering proceeds from crimes such as ransomware attacks and cryptocurrency thefts while concealing the illicit origin of the funds.

According to court documents and publicly available information, Blender.io and Sinbad.io functioned as platforms for criminals seeking to distance themselves from their illicit activities. Both services have been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for links to cybercrime, including funds tied to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Potential Legal Consequences

The defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating unlicensed money-transmitting businesses. If convicted, they face sentences of up to 20 years in prison for the conspiracy charge.