Officials from India's CBI announced the arrest of Lithuanian national Aleksej Bešciokov, allegedly involved with the cryptocurrency exchange Garantex.
Arrest in India
According to reports, Bešciokov was apprehended by police in the Indian state of Kerala with national authorities' assistance. He was vacationing in India with family and planning to leave the country at the time of his arrest.
Charges in the US
An indictment filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia claims Bešciokov and others used Garantex to launder proceeds from criminal activities, including cybercrime and narcotics transactions.
Consequences and Sanctions
In response, the US Department of the Treasury added Garantex to its list of sanctioned entities for violating anti-money laundering protocols. The EU imposed sanctions on the platform this February.
Further developments depend on the court's decision regarding Bešciokov's extradition to the US to face additional charges.
