The U.S. Department of the Treasury (OFAC) has expanded the sanctions list, adding three Russian citizens and several companies. According to the agency, all of them are somehow connected to the previously sanctioned cryptocurrency exchange Garantex.
The updated list #SDN (Specially Designated Nationals List) includes three citizens of Russia:
Sergey Mendeleev
Pavel Karavatsky
Alexander Mira Serda
According to #OFAC all three are connected to the Estonian cryptocurrency exchange Garantex Europe OU, which was placed under American sanctions back in April 2022 for allegedly facilitating money laundering. A reward of up to $5 million has been promised for information leading to the arrest of Alexander Mira Serda. For other key executives of Garantex — up to $1 million. Additionally, the sanctions list includes cryptocurrency projects InDeFi SmartBank and Exved for their connection to Sergey Mendeleev, the A7 group of companies (A7 AGENT LLC, A7 LLC, A71 LLC), as well as the cryptocurrency exchange GRINEX and the company OLD VECTOR LLC registered in Kyrgyzstan. The U.S. Treasury Department believes that the company is involved in cryptocurrency operations aimed at circumventing sanctions. The document also lists the crypto wallets of both exchanges.
Previously, the A7 platform was included in the sanctions lists of the European Union for attempting to influence the presidential elections and constitutional referendum in Moldova.
Commenting on his inclusion in the sanctions list, Sergey Mendeleev wrote on his Telegram channel that 'most of the individuals listed in the new sanctions list have either long since stepped away from their roles or were never involved at the decision-making level'.#altcoins #Crypto