The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury has sanctioned Russian company Aeza Group for its role in cybercriminal activities involving ransomware and illicit data sales.
Sanctions on Aeza Group
The Russian provider, Aeza Group, was added to the OFAC sanctions list for facilitating cybercriminal activities targeting victims worldwide, including in the US.
Affiliated Entities and Individuals
Along with Aeza Group, sanctions were also imposed on three associated entities: Aeza International Ltd (with subsidiaries in Russia), Aeza Logistics LLC, and Cloud Solutions LLC. Four key individuals connected to Aeza include:
* Arsenii Aleksandrovich Penzev - CEO and 33% shareholder of Aeza Group. * Yurii Meruzhanovich Bozoyan - General director and 33% owner of Aeza Group. * Vladimir Vyacheslavovich Gast - Technical director of Aeza Group. * Igor Anatolyevich Knyazev - 33% owner of Aeza Group.
Activities and Consequences
According to TRM Labs, OFAC linked a TRON crypto address associated with payments made by Aeza Group, which has received over $350,000 in funds. Aeza Group is also reported to have provided infrastructure services to darknet markets such as BlackSprut, and to ransomware groups like BianLian.
The sanctions imposed by OFAC highlight the importance of combating cybercrime and the need for security measures within the cryptocurrency sector. Crypto investors are advised to stay vigilant and follow guidelines to avoid fraud.
