U.S. federal agents detained Pavel Kulizhnikov in Florida on October 20, 2026, on suspicion of involvement in the international Just Team money-laundering network. He faces federal charges in the Eastern District of Virginia, but his guilt has not been established and the investigation remains ongoing.
Investigators allege the network served the Sinaloa and Gulf drug cartels and helped clients bypass U.S. sanctions against Russia. They say Kulizhnikov acted as a cryptocurrency broker and appeared in 11 DEA-controlled money transfers. A confidential DEA informant said Just Team and affiliated entities may have laundered about $50 million a day.
