Tether – always in the room, but never guilty

Operation Destabilize, led by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), uncovered two Russian networks, the Smart Group and the TGR Group, involved in laundering cash for cybercriminals, drug dealers, and sanctioned oligarchs.

The Smart Group, headed by Ekaterina Zhdanova, used Tether and other digital currencies to launder for criminal gangs like the Kinahan cartel, to help sanctioned Russian oligarchs bypass restrictions, and even to aid the Russian state with espionage operations.

The TGR Group, on the other hand, was involved in laundering proceeds from drug trafficking and other illicit activities through a network of shell companies and offshore bank accounts.

Both networks exploited weaknesses in the international financial system and the anonymity provided by digital currencies to carry out their large-scale money-laundering operations.

The investigation, which spanned over two years, involved Zusammenarbeit with law enforcement agencies in multiple countries, including the United States, Ireland, and the United Arab Emirates.

It also uncovered links to sanctioned Russian oligarchs, such as Konstantin Malofeev, who were using the laundered funds to support activities that threatened international security.

The operation resulted in the arrest of 84 individuals and the seizure of over £20 million ($24.2 million) in digital currencies, as well as the freezing of bank accounts and other assets linked to the criminal networks.

The investigation and arrests are a significant step in disrupting the flow of illicit funds and打击 organized crime at a global level.