US DOJ seizes cryptocurrency worth over $2.8 million from ransomware operation

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has unsealed warrants that led to the seizure of cryptocurrency worth over $2.8 million, $70,000 in cash, and a luxury vehicle in an operation linked to Ianis Aleksandrovich Antropenko. 

United States authorities indicted Antropenko on charges of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse and money laundering.

Antropenko tried to obscure trail of illicit funds

US prosecutors claim that Antropenko used the Zeppelin ransomware in attacks against individuals, businesses, and public-sector organizations across the world, and that includes the United States.

Prosecutors allege that he and his co-conspirators stole victims’ data, after which they demanded payment to restore access.

The seizures were authorized under six federal warrants unsealed this week in district courts in Texas, Virginia, and California.

Prosecutors alleged that Antropenko laundered the proceeds of his ransomware attacks through the now-defunct ChipMixer.

The financial implications of crypto-related crimes are rising

Cybercrime losses in the United States hit $16.6 billion in 2024, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. According to the FBI, the number of complaints connected to digital assets was close to 150,000 in 2024, and the related losses were up to $9.3 billion, which is a 66% increase from the reported cases from 2023. Ransomware is reportedly one of the major drivers of these losses.

The Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) has been on a juggernaut since 2020, securing more than 180 cybercrime convictions, recovering over $350 million for victims, and preventing more than $200 million in potential ransom payments.

There may be more arrests or indictments connected to the case in the future, although the DOJ has not disclosed any details to that effect as of publication.

Victims of Antropenko’s alleged ransomware attacks may see some respite from the news of the seizure and indictment. They could even see a path to fund recovery and some form of restitution in terms of justice served. However, the process could take months, and that’s if Antropenko is convicted of the charges against him.

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