Roman Sterlingov Faces Serious Charges
Roman Sterlingov, a 35-year-old with dual Russian-Swiss citizenship, has been convicted on serious charges related to his involvement with Bitcoin Fog, a notorious cryptocurrency mixing service. A federal jury in Washington found Sterlingov guilty of facilitating the laundering of approximately 1.2 million bitcoins, valued around $860 million today, connected to darknet marketplaces. The most severe of the four charges against him could result in a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Arrest and Trial
Sterlingov was apprehended in April 2021 at Los Angeles International Airport, facing charges of money laundering, operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, and failing to acquire a license for money transmission. Subsequent to his arrest, an additional charge of conspiring to launder money was leveled against him. Despite his and his legal team’s assertions of innocence, claiming he neither operated nor profited from Bitcoin Fog but merely used it, the jury, after a month-long trial, convicted him on all counts.
The Crackdown on Crypto Mixing Services
This verdict signifies another step in the intensified efforts by U.S. and European authorities to clamp down on illicit cryptocurrency operations. Notably, two convicted individuals from the crypto sphere testified against Sterlingov during his trial: Larry Harmon, ex-CEO of Bitcoin Fog competitor Helix, and Ilya Lichtenstein, implicated in laundering bitcoins from the 2016 Bitfinex hack with his wife Heather “Razzlekhan” Morgan. Both have entered guilty pleas, with Harmon already agreeing to significant forfeitures and fines, while Lichtenstein awaits sentencing.
Sterlingov’s conviction could influence upcoming trials against individuals associated with other crypto mixing services, such as Tornado Cash developers Alexey Pertsev and Roman Storm. Their trials are anticipated to occur this year in the Netherlands and the U.S., respectively.
Sentencing on the Horizon
With a sentencing date set for July 15, Sterlingov now faces the possibility of spending up to two decades behind bars for the most serious charge. His case underscores the growing legal scrutiny and consequences facing operators within the cryptocurrency mixing service industry, marking a continued push towards curbing financial crimes in the digital currency space.
