CBI and Kerala Police Arrest Lithuanian Fugitive Wanted by the US in Multi-Billion Dollar Crypto Fraud
In a major international operation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Kerala Police have arrested Aleksej Besciokov, a Lithuanian national wanted by US authorities for his alleged role in a multi-billion-dollar cryptocurrency fraud and money laundering scheme. Besciokov was apprehended in Thiruvananthapuram while allegedly planning to flee the country.
The Case Against Besciokov
The U.S. Secret Service, in its indictment, has accused Besciokov and his co-conspirator, Russian national Aleksandr Mira Serda, of operating Garantex, a cryptocurrency exchange that reportedly laundered illicit funds for transnational criminal organizations, terrorist groups, and cybercriminals.
Since its launch in April 2019, Garantex is believed to have processed at least $96 billion in cryptocurrency transactions, including hundreds of millions linked to hacking, ransomware, drug trafficking, and terrorism.
