03-16-2025, 03:19 PM
Lithuanian national and co-founder of the Russian crypto exchange Garantex, Aleksej Besciokov, is set to be extradited to the United States as a priority. The Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) international police cooperation division is overseeing the legal formalities, with the handover expected to take place soon, according to sources.
Acting on a request from the US government through the Ministry of External Affairs, the CBI traced the suspect and secured an arrest warrant on March 10 under the Extradition Act. Besciokov is scheduled to appear before the court on Friday.
Last Friday, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) formally charged Besciokov, 46, along with his Russian associate, Aleksandr Mira Serda, 40, with multiple offenses, including money laundering, linked to Garantex.
CBI sources revealed that investigations are underway to determine whether Garantex was involved in handling illicit funds from cases being examined by the agency. Over the past four years, Garantex has allegedly laundered millions of dollars linked to ransomware operations, including those run by Black Basta, Play, and Conti.
Besciokov was apprehended in Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram, in a coordinated effort by the CBI and Kerala Police, just before he was reportedly planning to leave the country.
The US has called for his extradition, citing multiple allegations, such as conspiring to commit money laundering in violation of Title 18 of the US Code, breaching the US International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and running an unauthorized money services business.
A CBI spokesperson stated, “Following a request from the US, the Ministry of External Affairs, under the Extradition Act of 1962, facilitated the issuance of a provisional arrest warrant from the ACJM Patiala House Court in Delhi.” The DOJ has brought several charges against Besciokov, including violations related to money laundering and sanctions. According to the DOJ indictment, Besciokov allegedly operated under the hacker alias "proforg."
Acting on a request from the US government through the Ministry of External Affairs, the CBI traced the suspect and secured an arrest warrant on March 10 under the Extradition Act. Besciokov is scheduled to appear before the court on Friday.
Last Friday, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) formally charged Besciokov, 46, along with his Russian associate, Aleksandr Mira Serda, 40, with multiple offenses, including money laundering, linked to Garantex.
CBI sources revealed that investigations are underway to determine whether Garantex was involved in handling illicit funds from cases being examined by the agency. Over the past four years, Garantex has allegedly laundered millions of dollars linked to ransomware operations, including those run by Black Basta, Play, and Conti.
Besciokov was apprehended in Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram, in a coordinated effort by the CBI and Kerala Police, just before he was reportedly planning to leave the country.
The US has called for his extradition, citing multiple allegations, such as conspiring to commit money laundering in violation of Title 18 of the US Code, breaching the US International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and running an unauthorized money services business.
A CBI spokesperson stated, “Following a request from the US, the Ministry of External Affairs, under the Extradition Act of 1962, facilitated the issuance of a provisional arrest warrant from the ACJM Patiala House Court in Delhi.” The DOJ has brought several charges against Besciokov, including violations related to money laundering and sanctions. According to the DOJ indictment, Besciokov allegedly operated under the hacker alias "proforg."
