Anatoly Legkodymov, the ex-CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Bitzlato, has reportedly requested a pardon from President Donald Trump following his guilty plea in 2023 and an 18-month prison sentence. According to TASS, Legkodymov's legal team formally submitted the pardon request after he admitted to running an unlicensed money transmitting business. He was indicted in January 2023, pleaded guilty in December, and was sentenced to time served in July 2024 after spending approximately 18 months in custody. Ivan Melnikov, vice president of the Russian branch of the International Committee for Human Rights, stated that Legkodymov became a target in a political campaign against the crypto sector. He expressed hope that the U.S. would adopt a more equitable stance on digital finance. Legkodymov's indictment revealed his involvement in facilitating the transfer of illicit funds through Bitzlato, which allegedly funneled hundreds of millions to the dark web. It remains uncertain if Trump will respond to the pardon request. Read more AI-generated news on: https://app.chaingpt.org/news