The Role of ‘Bitcoin Fog’ in the Bitfinex Affair
On November 8, Roman Sterlingov, the founder of Bitcoin Fog, was sentenced to 12 years for running a crypto mixer that helped Lichtenstein pull off the Bitfinex heist. The Justice Department said Sterlingov intentionally used his platform to help launder illicit money. “As the trial showed, Roman Sterlingov created and operated an online service to facilitate hundreds of millions in illegal transactions, aiding darknet drug dealers and sellers of child sexual abuse material. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message: Those who support criminals in online payments for their illegal activities will face severe penalties,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. Sterling was sentenced to prison and ordered to pay a fine of $395.6 million. He was also ordered to forfeit approximately $1.76 million in confiscated cryptocurrency and cash. He also forfeited ownership of his Bitcoin Fog wallet, which contains approximately 1,345 bitcoins worth more than $103 million.$PNUT $PROS $NEIRO