Russia detains four in 100M-ruble crypto laundering probe
Russian investigators detained four residents of Surgut on Dec. 11, 2025, accusing them of laundering about 100 million rubles through a combination of cryptocurrency transactions and stolen bank cards. Authorities say the suspects used card theft proceeds to buy and move crypto to obscure the origin of funds; they are now facing criminal charges related to money laundering.
The case highlights continued law-enforcement focus on card-to-crypto schemes and the challenges regulators and exchanges face in policing on-ramps that mix fraud and digital assets. Investigators are expected to trace transaction flows and may widen the probe to platforms or intermediaries used to convert stolen funds, underscoring renewed pressure on AML controls across Russia’s payments and crypto ecosystem.