Russian Ministry Officials ‘Took BTC, ETH Bribes from Crypto Exchange Exec’
Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs officials took a $53.2 million Bitcoin and ETH bribe from a crypto exchange executive, a major newspaper in the country claimed this week.
Per Kommersant, the officials were named Georgy Satyukov and Dmitry Sokolov, employees at “one of the ministry’s most secret divisions.”
The media outlet and major Russian Telegram news channels claimed the duo worked at the Bureau of Special Technical Events. The bureau is allegedly codenamed “Department K.”
Reports claim the duo received their bribes in crypto over a period from March 19 to October 2021.
Telegram news channels claimed Department K is a secret cyber crime investigation unit. The unit appears to have been investigating the BTC-e crypto exchange.
A computer expert named Alexander Vinnik founded BTC-e. Vinnik worked at the firm from 2011 to 2017. He was arrested in Greece in 2017 on fraud and money laundering charges.
Media outlets explained that a Singapore-based firm named Wex took over BTC-e business operations. However, questions remained over what should happen regarding BTC-e customer funds.
Law enforcers allegedly believe a Wex executive named Alexey Ivanov offered Satyukov and Sokolov Bitcoin and Ethereum coins to “protect” him from a police probe.
Officers reportedly believe Ivanov sent Satyukov and Sokolov a combined total of BTC 2,200 and “more than ETH 10,000 thousand.”
The media outlets said the money “was transferred through Sokolov to cryptocurrency wallets held by Satyukov.”
German authorities arrest two men suspected of espionage for Russia and membership of a terror group planning acts of sabotage against military and industrial sites https://t.co/nKRj62Obb6
— Bloomberg (@business) April 18, 2024
Kommersant said the duo had
