The United States is anticipated to indict two Russians allegedly involved in operating massive, billion-dollar money laundering operations.
One of the individuals is recognized as one of the longest-operating illegal money launderers in the eyes of American law enforcement, as per the sources. Neither of the Russian individuals is currently in U.S. custody, and the State Department is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to their arrest or conviction. It's also expected that the Treasury Department will impose sanctions on at least one of the individuals, according to the sources.
The two individuals are suspected of aiding "carding" websites, which peddle stolen credit and debit card details. The sites have advertised financial data swiped from over 30 million Americans, the sources mentioned. Moreover, significant amounts of ransomware payments and illicit drug sales via the darknet are believed to have transited through crypto accounts linked to one of the man's services.
This operation occurs as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday in Washington, D.C. Zelensky is expected to plead for enhanced U.S. assistance to counter Russia's war on Ukraine.
Biden hinted at the crackdown on the purported Russian cybercriminals in a statement Thursday, stating that the U.S. had "taken steps today to disrupt a global cryptocurrency network, in collaboration with international partners."
This report is currently developing and will be updated.
The ongoing investigation into the Russian individuals' activities raises questions about the influence of politics and cybercrime on international relations. The U.S. government's actions against the cybercriminals could potentially shift the political landscape in relation to cybersecurity policies.
