India Arrests Russian Crypto Exchange Founder Wanted for U.S. Money Laundering Charges

Indian authorities have arrested Aleksej Besciokov, a Russian national wanted in the United States for operating an unlicensed crypto exchange and laundering millions in illicit funds.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) confirmed the arrest, stating that Besciokov, a Lithuanian citizen, is sought for trial in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

The U.S. Secret Service alleges that Besciokov operated Garantex, a Russian-based crypto exchange, to launder proceeds of criminal activity between 2019 and 2025. The platform reportedly facilitated transactions for major ransomware groups, including:

🔴 Conti — Linked to high-profile cyberattacks worldwide.
🔴 Black Basta — A notorious ransomware gang targeting corporations.
🔴 Play — A hacking group responsible for multiple cyber ransom cases.

Despite knowing the funds came from illicit activities, Besciokov allegedly took steps to conceal Garantex’s role in financial crimes.

The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Garantex in April 2022 for failing to meet anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT) regulations. The European Union followed suit on February 24, blacklisting the platform.

⚠️ March 6 — Garantex suspended operations.
⚠️ March 7 — U.S. authorities seized $26M in illicit funds tied to the exchange.

Besciokov was vacationing in Kerala, India, with his family, reportedly planning to flee before authorities tracked him down.

India will now proceed with extraditing him to the U.S., where he faces serious financial crime charges that could result in lengthy prison time.

This arrest highlights the growing international efforts to curb crypto-based financial crime. With U.S. and EU law enforcement tightening their grip, crypto exchanges operating in legal grey areas face mounting pressure.

Will this case set a precedent for cracking down on illicit crypto platforms? Stay tuned.