Accused BTC-e operator Alexander Vinnik has reportedly been extradited to America to face up to multiple charges relating to money laundering while working at the now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange.
Vinnik has been embroiled in legal battles over the past five years for his alleged role as the mastermind of BTC-e. The cryptocurrency exchange is said to have profited from various illicit activities that used the platform to launder some $4 billion worth of Bitcoin (BTC).
Vinnik’s lawyer Frédéric Bélot told American news network CNN on Aug. 5 that Vinnik was in transit from Greece to the United States, where he’s set to face a raft of charges in the Northern District Court of California. The Russian national is accused of money laundering and operating an unlicensed money service in America, in addition to other charges.
The accused has already been serving a five-year sentence in France since December 2020 after he was convicted for money laundering as part of an organized criminal group. Vinnik’s lawyers had launched an appeal that was unsuccessful, maintaining that Vinnik was just an employee of the exchange and had no involvement in illicit activities at BTC-e.
Related: A life after crime: What happens to crypto seized in criminal investigations?
Vinnik was originally arrested in Greece while on holiday in 2017, with America, France and Russia tussling for his extradition from that point onwards. Greece’s Council of State opted to extradite Vinnik to France in early 2020, despite numerous attempts by Russia to request his transit to their jurisdiction.
As previously reported by Cointelegraph, Vinnik had agreed to an extradition request from Russia, given that he faced far less serious charges. In contrast, Vinnik faces up to 55 years in prison in America with 21 counts of unlicensed money service business, money laundering and related crimes filed by the Department of Justice.
Singapore is emerging as a key hub for Bitcoin, driven by favourable regulations, rising digital literacy, and growing awareness of DeFi.
CatherineMeta is scaling back its high-end metaverse projects due to significant financial losses, including scrapping the La Jolla mixed-reality headset. Instead, the company will focus on more affordable VR devices like the Quest 3S and upcoming Orion AR glasses, aiming to make its technology more accessible.
AnaisThe TON Society has called on French authorities to release Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, denouncing his imprisonment as a violation of human rights and free speech. The letter also urges tech companies to resist state censorship, while crypto leaders worry about the broader impact on the digital asset landscape.
CatherineDonald Trump has launched his fourth NFT collection, “Series 4: The America First Collection,” featuring various themed cards priced at $99 each. This move reflects his shift from crypto skepticism to embracing digital assets, leveraging NFTs to generate millions and connect with crypto-friendly voters ahead of the 2024 election.
JoyHenley & Partners and New World Health report a 95% rise in individuals with over $1 million in crypto, fuelled by BTC and ETH ETFs, and increasing crypto values. As institutional adoption grows, wealth generation in crypto is expected to expand further.
KikyoQuidax has made history as the first Nigerian crypto exchange to receive a provisional operating license from the Nigerian SEC, marking a major step toward formal regulatory oversight for the country's digital asset industry. Despite this progress, challenges remain with stringent regulatory requirements and ongoing tensions between the government and the crypto sector.
AnaisTON blockchain experienced over seven hours of inactivity, during which no new blocks were generated. The network has since resumed normal operations. Some speculate that the recent surge in DOGS transaction may have contributed to the disruption.
CatherineApple is laying off around 100 employees in its digital services division, focusing more on AI and away from areas like Apple Books. The upcoming iPhone 16 Pro will feature new AI capabilities, but these will be fully available only after software updates later in the year.
WeatherlyA Chinese court concluded a case involving a dispute over a virtual currency investment entrustment contract. The platform ran away, resulting in the investor being unable to recover millions of dollars, and it was ruled that the investor should bear the losses himself.
AlexLegendary trader Arthur Hayes said that if there is an economic recession in the United States, the Federal Reserve will increase its money printing efforts, thus driving Bitcoin to surge.
Miyuki
