Two senior members of the AudiA6 cryptocurrency money laundering organization have been arrested in Georgia. U.S. authorities allege Ruslan Igorevich Tkachuk and Alexander Vladimirovich Ledenev managed a service that laundered over $389 million in Bitcoin linked to criminal activities. A coordinated international investigation led to their arrest, the seizure of assets, and the takedown of their online platforms.
Two individuals allegedly responsible for laundering more than $389 million in Bitcoin for the AudiA6 organization were arrested and charged in the Republic of Georgia. The pair, Ruslan Igorevich Tkachuk, 37, and Alexander Vladimirovich Ledenev, 25, each face one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and one count of sting money laundering.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the criminal complaint alleges they are senior members who managed the cryptocurrency money laundering service and the Dark2Web cybercrime forum. “The criminal complaint in this case alleges that Tkachuk and Ledenev are senior members of the AudiA6 organization, who manage the cryptocurrency money laundering service and the Dark2Web cybercrime forum,” the Attorney’s Office wrote.
The service advertised it could conceal the source of crypto assets linked to criminal activity for a 5% fee. An international investigation involving agencies from the U.S., Australia, Germany, and Japan led to the arrests and property searches. Authorities also blocked accounts on Telegram, seized crypto assets, and placed a seizure banner on the group’s dark web site.
Blockchain analysis identified 10,333 Bitcoin deposited to AudiA6 accounts, valued at over $389 million at the time of transactions. Approximately $19 million of that total was deposited directly from known illicit sources. The pair are currently held in Georgia as U.S. authorities seek their extradition.
If convicted, Tkachuk and Ledenev could face up to 20 years in prison. Earlier this year, funds stolen via a fake Ledger app were reportedly laundered through AudiA6 services according to an analysis by blockchain researcher ZachXBT.
