Crypto Founder Arrested in India

Indian Authorities Arrest Garantex Co-Founder Aleksej Besciokov

• Aleksej Besciokov, co-founder of Russian crypto exchange Garantex, was arrested in Thiruvananthapuram, India.
• The arrest was executed by India’s Central Bureau of Investigation and Kerala Police.
• Besciokov is accused of laundering money through Garantex, which was sanctioned by U.S. authorities in 2022.
• Garantex allegedly has connections to sanctioned banks and criminal groups, including North Korea’s Lazarus Group hackers.
• The U.S. recently seized the Garantex website following allegations of laundering stolen funds.

Indian authorities apprehended Aleksej Besciokov after a request from the U.S., citing his involvement with the sanctioned crypto exchange Garantex and alleged money laundering activities. The exchange is linked to various criminal entities, including North Korean hackers.