AudiA6 crypto laundering service busted in global sting

Two men were arrested in Georgia for allegedly running AudiA6, a crypto laundering service that processed $389M. Authorities seized assets and infrastructure in a global operation.

Authorities in Georgia have arrested Ruslan Igorevich Tkachuk and Alexander Vladimirovich Ledenev, accusing them of running AudiA6, a cryptocurrency laundering service. Since 2021, AudiA6 allegedly processed over $389 million in transactions, including about 10,333 bitcoins. Prosecutors state that a significant portion of these funds came directly from darknet markets, ransomware groups, and other illicit sources. AudiA6 reportedly advertised its services on the Dark2Web forum, offering to obscure the origins of cryptocurrency for a fee. The operation attracted international law enforcement attention, leading to a coordinated effort that resulted in the seizure of servers, domains, Telegram accounts, and the freezing of crypto assets across multiple countries. Both suspects are currently in custody and face extradition to the United States. If convicted, each charge could result in a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.