The U.S. Department of the Treasury has added two crypto exchanges to its sanctions list - PM2BTC and Cryptex. In addition, restrictions were imposed on their administrator, a Russian citizen Sergei Ivanov.
The U.S. Treasury Department claims that both services were involved in laundering money obtained through criminal means. According to the ministry, Cryptex is registered in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as an International Payment Service Provider. The agency emphasized that the crypto exchange provides financial services to cybercriminals.
It is assumed that over $51 million passed through Cryptex, which is associated with ransomware programs.
American authorities believe that Ivanov has been involved in money laundering for the past 20 years. A reward of $10 million has been offered for information that will help capture him.
Read also on the topic:
Crypto exchange Binance is leaving the Russian market
A crypto exchange may start operating in Russia before the end of the year
Belarus has banned cryptocurrency transactions outside of national crypto exchanges
