Russian officials have seized 103 Bitcoin
$94,888.63
worth $10 million from Marat Tambiev, a former employee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF).
This action follows a high-profile bribery case tied to cryptocurrency, which has been described as one of the largest corruption scandals in the country.
Investigators accessed the funds by unlocking Tambiev’s hardware wallet, Ledger Nano X, found during the investigation. While the 103 Bitcoin represents a large amount, it accounts for only 4% of the total bribe Tambiev is believed to have received.
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Tambiev was convicted of accepting bribes in the form of cryptocurrency in 2023. The seized funds will now be added to the state treasury, according to a January 8 report from the local news agency TASS.
He was sentenced in October 2024 to 16 years in prison for accepting a massive bribe of 2,718 Bitcoin, valued at $258 million at the time. This transaction was linked to the Infraud Organization, a hacking group that reportedly paid Tambiev and other officials to block legal actions against them.
Court records show that Tambiev stored private keys to his cryptocurrency wallet on his laptop, labeled in a folder named “Retirement”.
The case uncovered that he had been accepting payments from hackers to influence procedural decisions, including dropping criminal charges and allowing them to conceal assets worth an estimated $138 million.
While Russia tackles corruption involving cryptocurrency, authorities in Thailand recently seized 996 Bitcoin mining rigs. What happened? Read the full story.
Having completed a Master’s degree in Economics, Politics, and Cultures of the East Asia region, Aaron has written scientific papers analyzing the differences between Western and Collective forms of capitalism in the post-World War II era.With close to a decade of experience in the FinTech industry, Aaron understands all of the biggest issues and struggles that crypto enthusiasts face. He’s a passionate analyst who is concerned with data-driven and fact-based content, as well as that which speaks to both Web3 natives and industry newcomers.Aaron is the go-to person for everything and anything related to digital currencies. With a huge passion for blockchain & Web3 education, Aaron strives to transform the space as we know it, and make it more approachable to complete beginners.Aaron has been quoted by multiple established outlets, and is a published author himself. Even during his free time, he enjoys researching the market trends, and looking for the next supernova.
