Major Operation Against Illegal Crypto Offices in Moscow

In Moscow's premier business and lifestyle hub, Moscow-City, over 20 individuals were apprehended for their involvement in illegal crypto exchanges and laundering money for phone scammers. A joint operation by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs resulted in the shutdown of nine channels that facilitated foreign-funded outflows through cryptocurrency. In the unregistered crypto offices of Moscow-City, more than 20 employees were caught laundering money obtained by Ukrainian call centers through fraudulent means from Russian citizens. According to FSB data, the deceived individuals were sold cryptocurrency, which was then transferred to the accounts of Ukrainian managers. The FSB stated that 'young people with inadequate financial literacy from various regions of Russia, seeking easy money, were remotely employed to work in crypto offices.' Couriers, aged between 18 and 25, who transported money from scammed citizens to crypto offices, were also detained.