Summary: US authorities have charged three individuals for their involvement in operating cryptocurrency mixers Blender.io and Sinbad.io, which were used for laundering money from criminal activities. Both mixers facilitated anonymous transactions, attracting users seeking to hide their illicit gains. The operations were linked to North Korean hacking groups and resulted in sanctions from the US Department of the Treasury.
Threat Actor: Roman Ostapenko, Alexander Oleynik, Anton Tarasov | Roman Ostapenko, Alexander Oleynik, Anton Tarasov
Victim: Cryptocurrency users | cryptocurrency users
Keypoints :
- Blender.io operated from 2018 to 2022, allowing users to anonymize transactions for a fee.
- Sinbad.io replaced Blender.io and was shut down in late 2023 after law enforcement actions.
- Both mixers were sanctioned for facilitating money laundering, with ties to North Korean hacking groups.
Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/operators-cryptocurrency-mixers-charged-money-laundering