Ivars Azuins Was Extradited to the United States, Charged with Wire and Securities Fraud
Early in 2021 the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Ivars Auzins (29) with fraud. According to the allegations, between November 2017 and July 2019 Auzins received more than $7 million to Auzins companies.
After receiving the funds (in cryptocurrencies), the companies disappeared without providing the services it said to deliver. On 26 August Auzins was extradited to the United States.
The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace and Michael J. Driscoll, assistant director-in-charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI made the following statement:
‘Auzins perpetrated a brazen scheme in which he fleeced investors who funneled millions of dollars into fraudulent cryptocurrency.
‘This Office will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who lie and steal from investors, including those like the defendant who operate from abroad.’
Alexander Vinnik Extradited to the US
Vinnik was first arrested in Greece in 2017 due to a US warrant. Greece approved the extradition, however, as a European arrest warrant was issued, Vinnik was sent to France.
He was sentenced for 5 years for money laundering
Money Laundering
Money laundering is a blanket term to describe the process by which criminals disguise the original ownership and proceeds of criminal conduct by making such proceeds appear to be derived from a legitimate source.Money laundering is an issue that traverses countless industries and sectors, which includes the financial services space. Though criminal money may be successfully laundered without the assistance of the financial sector, billions of dollars’ worth of criminally derived money are laundered through financial institutions each year.This is not entirely surprising given the structure of the financial services industry and the nature of products and services offered by its participants.An ecosystem that involves the management, control, and processing of finances is inherently vulnerable to abuse by money launderers.Money Laundering ExplainedThe act of laundering is committed in circumstances in which an individual or entity is engaged in an arrangement that involves the proceeds of crime. These arrangements include a wide range of business relationships, i.e. banking, fiduciary and investment management.However, the degree of knowledge or suspicion will depend upon the specific offense but will usually be present where the person providing the arrangement, service or product knows, suspects or has reasonable grounds to suspect that the property involved in the arrangement represents the proceeds of crime. In some cases, the offence may also be committed where a person knows or suspects that the person with whom he or she is dealing is engaged in or has benefited from criminal conduct.One of the primary criticisms against cryptocurrencies has been their propensity for money laundering. Their anonymous nature and unregulated network structure make them ideally suited for money launders.
Money laundering is a blanket term to describe the process by which criminals disguise the original ownership and proceeds of criminal conduct by making such proceeds appear to be derived from a legitimate source.Money laundering is an issue that traverses countless industries and sectors, which includes the financial services space. Though criminal money may be successfully laundered without the assistance of the financial sector, billions of dollars’ worth of criminally derived money are laundered through financial institutions each year.This is not entirely surprising given the structure of the financial services industry and the nature of products and services offered by its participants.An ecosystem that involves the management, control, and processing of finances is inherently vulnerable to abuse by money launderers.Money Laundering ExplainedThe act of laundering is committed in circumstances in which an individual or entity is engaged in an arrangement that involves the proceeds of crime. These arrangements include a wide range of business relationships, i.e. banking, fiduciary and investment management.However, the degree of knowledge or suspicion will depend upon the specific offense but will usually be present where the person providing the arrangement, service or product knows, suspects or has reasonable grounds to suspect that the property involved in the arrangement represents the proceeds of crime. In some cases, the offence may also be committed where a person knows or suspects that the person with whom he or she is dealing is engaged in or has benefited from criminal conduct.One of the primary criticisms against cryptocurrencies has been their propensity for money laundering. Their anonymous nature and unregulated network structure make them ideally suited for money launders.
Read this Term, identity theft and extortion. Upon his return to Greece he was immediately boarded on another plane to the United States.
In July the US withdrew its request to exterdite Vinnik, hoping Greece will send the Russian to them upon his return (as the extradition was already approved by the Greek court).
Russia was outranged by Greece’s decision. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova released the following statement:
‘We are outraged by the unfriendly actions of the Greek authorities, who, under pressure from the United States, who launched a real hunt for Russian citizens in third countries under far-fetched pretexts, extradited our compatriot Alexander Vinnik to the reprisal of American punitive justice.
‘In violation of Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963 and contrary to the official appeal of the Russian Embassy in Athens, consular officers of the diplomatic mission, his lawyer and interpreter were not allowed to visit the Russian.’
Early in 2021 the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Ivars Auzins (29) with fraud. According to the allegations, between November 2017 and July 2019 Auzins received more than $7 million to Auzins companies.
After receiving the funds (in cryptocurrencies), the companies disappeared without providing the services it said to deliver. On 26 August Auzins was extradited to the United States.
The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace and Michael J. Driscoll, assistant director-in-charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI made the following statement:
‘Auzins perpetrated a brazen scheme in which he fleeced investors who funneled millions of dollars into fraudulent cryptocurrency.
‘This Office will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who lie and steal from investors, including those like the defendant who operate from abroad.’
Alexander Vinnik Extradited to the US
Vinnik was first arrested in Greece in 2017 due to a US warrant. Greece approved the extradition, however, as a European arrest warrant was issued, Vinnik was sent to France.
He was sentenced for 5 years for money laundering
Money Laundering
Money laundering is a blanket term to describe the process by which criminals disguise the original ownership and proceeds of criminal conduct by making such proceeds appear to be derived from a legitimate source.Money laundering is an issue that traverses countless industries and sectors, which includes the financial services space. Though criminal money may be successfully laundered without the assistance of the financial sector, billions of dollars’ worth of criminally derived money are laundered through financial institutions each year.This is not entirely surprising given the structure of the financial services industry and the nature of products and services offered by its participants.An ecosystem that involves the management, control, and processing of finances is inherently vulnerable to abuse by money launderers.Money Laundering ExplainedThe act of laundering is committed in circumstances in which an individual or entity is engaged in an arrangement that involves the proceeds of crime. These arrangements include a wide range of business relationships, i.e. banking, fiduciary and investment management.However, the degree of knowledge or suspicion will depend upon the specific offense but will usually be present where the person providing the arrangement, service or product knows, suspects or has reasonable grounds to suspect that the property involved in the arrangement represents the proceeds of crime. In some cases, the offence may also be committed where a person knows or suspects that the person with whom he or she is dealing is engaged in or has benefited from criminal conduct.One of the primary criticisms against cryptocurrencies has been their propensity for money laundering. Their anonymous nature and unregulated network structure make them ideally suited for money launders.
Money laundering is a blanket term to describe the process by which criminals disguise the original ownership and proceeds of criminal conduct by making such proceeds appear to be derived from a legitimate source.Money laundering is an issue that traverses countless industries and sectors, which includes the financial services space. Though criminal money may be successfully laundered without the assistance of the financial sector, billions of dollars’ worth of criminally derived money are laundered through financial institutions each year.This is not entirely surprising given the structure of the financial services industry and the nature of products and services offered by its participants.An ecosystem that involves the management, control, and processing of finances is inherently vulnerable to abuse by money launderers.Money Laundering ExplainedThe act of laundering is committed in circumstances in which an individual or entity is engaged in an arrangement that involves the proceeds of crime. These arrangements include a wide range of business relationships, i.e. banking, fiduciary and investment management.However, the degree of knowledge or suspicion will depend upon the specific offense but will usually be present where the person providing the arrangement, service or product knows, suspects or has reasonable grounds to suspect that the property involved in the arrangement represents the proceeds of crime. In some cases, the offence may also be committed where a person knows or suspects that the person with whom he or she is dealing is engaged in or has benefited from criminal conduct.One of the primary criticisms against cryptocurrencies has been their propensity for money laundering. Their anonymous nature and unregulated network structure make them ideally suited for money launders.
Read this Term, identity theft and extortion. Upon his return to Greece he was immediately boarded on another plane to the United States.
In July the US withdrew its request to exterdite Vinnik, hoping Greece will send the Russian to them upon his return (as the extradition was already approved by the Greek court).
Russia was outranged by Greece’s decision. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova released the following statement:
‘We are outraged by the unfriendly actions of the Greek authorities, who, under pressure from the United States, who launched a real hunt for Russian citizens in third countries under far-fetched pretexts, extradited our compatriot Alexander Vinnik to the reprisal of American punitive justice.
‘In violation of Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963 and contrary to the official appeal of the Russian Embassy in Athens, consular officers of the diplomatic mission, his lawyer and interpreter were not allowed to visit the Russian.’