Russia Confiscates $10M in Bitcoin from Former Official in Bribery Scandal

The Russian government has confiscated $10 million worth of Bitcoin from a former law enforcement official, marking a significant development in one of the largest cryptocurrency bribery cases in the country’s history. According to reports from local news outlets, Russian court enforcement officers seized the assets as part of an investigation into a high-profile corruption scandal involving digital currencies.

Seizure of Crypto Linked to Bribery

Russian court enforcement officers have initiated proceedings to confiscate approximately 1 billion Russian rubles ($10 million) or roughly 103 BTC from Marat Tambiev, a former employee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF). Tambiev was convicted in 2023 for accepting cryptocurrency as a bribe, an unprecedented case in Russia’s legal history.

The seized Bitcoin, stored in a hardware cryptocurrency wallet (Ledger Nano X), will be transferred to Russia’s state revenue as part of the legal proceedings. Investigators reportedly accessed Tambiev’s wallet by obtaining private keys found on his laptop.

Tambiev’s case is tied to the largest bribery incident ever recorded in Russia, involving a staggering 2,718 BTC—an amount valued at $258 million during the time of the crime. Despite the enormity of the case, the confiscated 103 BTC represents only 4% of the total bribe amount.

In October 2024, a Russian court sentenced Tambiev to 16 years in prison for his involvement in the scheme. The court’s decision also included the seizure of 1,032 BTC (approximately $98 million), which the court identified as unverified income linked to illegal activities.

Connections to the Infraud Organization

Investigators revealed that the source of the bribes was a notorious hacker group known as the Infraud Organization. The group, involving members from Kazakhstan and Estonia, reportedly bribed Tambiev and other officials to halt prosecution efforts and conceal crypto assets valued at 14 billion rubles ($138 million).

Tambiev’s arrest in March 2022 led to the discovery of his Bitcoin wallet credentials stored in a laptop folder labeled “Retirement.” This evidence enabled enforcement officers to uncover the extent of his involvement with the Infraud Organization.

The hacker group, led by Kazakhstan citizens Mark and Konstantin Bergman and Estonian citizen Kirill Samokutyaev, reportedly paid bribes in exchange for favorable procedural decisions in their own criminal cases. Investigations also implicated multiple former ICRF employees who allegedly extorted bribes from the hackers.

This case underscores the increasing intersection of traditional corruption with cryptocurrency, a domain often considered secure and private. The investigation highlights the necessity for regulatory frameworks and vigilance in managing digital currencies. It also signals a strong stance by Russian authorities against corruption and cybercrime involving cryptocurrency.

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