In the United States, a federal court sentenced Roman Sterlingov, a citizen of Russia and Sweden, to 12.5 years in prison in a case involving the laundering of approximately $400 million through the Bitcoin Fog cryptocurrency mixer, which he founded. This service, which operated from 2011 to 2021, processed over 1.2 million bitcoins, providing a platform for illegal operations, including the laundering of funds by criminals such as drug traffickers and identity thieves.
In addition to the prison sentence, Sterlingov was also ordered to pay compensation of $395.5 million and had $1.76 million in cryptocurrency seized. The prosecution initially sought a 30-year prison sentence, but the defense argued for a more lenient punishment, claiming that Sterlingov did not manage the service and was not the head of the mixer.
Bitcoin Fog was a cryptocurrency mixer, a service that mixes different streams of cryptocurrency, concealing their origin and making it difficult to track financial transactions. Although mixers are not illegal in all countries, the U.S. Treasury Department in 2023 proposed classifying them as an important tool for money laundering, which led to stricter penalties for their use.
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