Anatoly Legkodymov, the founder of the Bitzlato crypto exchange platform, has admitted guilt in the transfer and laundering of criminal funds.
Prosecutors state that Legkodymov, who held a controlling stake in the company, facilitated darknet traders and ransomware operators.
As part of the plea agreement, he has agreed to shut down Bitzlato and relinquish claims totaling around $23 million related to seized exchanger assets.
While initial reports of a possible deal emerged in April, the platform initially dismissed them as unreliable.
The prosecutor’s office highlighted Bitzlato’s promotion as an exchange with minimal user identification, allowing registration for fictitious accounts, with the team being aware of criminal use of their service.
