11.06.2025 12:56

Federal prosecutors have indicted Iurii Gugnin, the founder of the cryptocurrency firm Evita, on 22 criminal counts, alleging a massive $500 million money laundering scheme. This indictment, unsealed recently, accuses Gugnin of facilitating the movement of funds through the U.S. financial system for sanctioned Russian banks, a sophisticated operation spanning from mid-2023 to early 2025.


The indictment details how Gugnin allegedly used Evita to process transactions that circumvented U.S. sanctions, funneling money for restricted Russian financial institutions, including prominent names like Sberbank, VTB, Sovcombank, and Tinkoff. These illicit transactions, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ), directly supported prohibited exports and blatantly violated U.S. financial regulations.


Adding to the accusations, Gugnin is alleged to have actively misled cryptocurrency financial institutions, falsely claiming Evita lacked any connections to Russian entities. This deception, the indictment argues, allowed him to evade standard scrutiny and avoid the typical checks designed to detect suspicious financial transfers. Evita’s alleged failure to adhere to necessary compliance procedures and report questionable activity further aided Gugnin’s scheme, enabling the seamless processing of illicit funds.


Further evidence suggesting Gugnin’s awareness of his illegal activities comes from his own online searches, as cited by the DOJ. These searches, including queries such as "Am I being investigated?" and "signs you may be under criminal investigation," coupled with more extensive inquiries about detecting and responding to investigations, strongly suggest an attempt to conceal his unlawful actions, according to prosecutors. His arrest followed the indictment. The information was obtained from internet sources.