Russia’s FSB Raids Crypto Services Tied to Ukraine Scam Proceeds

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) carried out a joint operation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and shut down nine unregistered cryptocurrency exchange offices at the Moscow International Business Center, known as Moscow City.

Authorities detained more than 20 employees and linked the services to money laundering schemes connected to phone scam call centers based in Ukraine.

According to the official statement, the exchange offices converted money stolen from Russian citizens who were victims of telephone fraud into cryptocurrencies and transferred the funds to accounts linked to Ukrainian operators.

Part of the scheme involved individuals between 18 and 25 years old who collected cash from victims and physically delivered it to the exchange points for conversion into crypto assets. The FSB indicated that many of these young people, recruited in regions across the country’s interior, had limited financial literacy.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs opened a criminal investigation for large-scale fraud, an offense that under Russian law can carry up to ten years in prison. Authorities reported that they continue to identify victims and assess possible compensation mechanisms.

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