WASHINGTON, Monday, March 18, 2024 – A federal jury in Washington, D.C., convicted Roman Sterlingov, the founder of cryptocurrency mixing service Bitcoin Fog, on money laundering charges on Tuesday. Sterlingov was accused of operating Bitcoin Fog, which facilitated the laundering of roughly $400 million in bitcoin over a decade. 1
Prosecutors alleged that the service allowed criminals to conceal the origins of their bitcoin funds, making it harder for law enforcement to track illicit activity.
Sterlingov, a dual Russian-Swedish national, was arrested in Los Angeles in April 2021.
The verdict follows a four-week trial where the government presented evidence, including testimony from Ilya Lichtenstein, the convicted hacker behind the Bitfinex exchange heist. Lichtenstein reportedly admitted to using Bitcoin Fog to launder some of the stolen funds.
Sterlingov faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for his money laundering convictions. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July.
This conviction highlights the growing efforts of U.S. authorities to crack down on cryptocurrency mixers and other services used by criminals to launder money.
- Crypto Mixer: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/bitcoin-fog-operator-convicted-money-laundering-conspiracy[↩]
