The United States has taken a significant step in its fight against cybercrime by seizing the website of a notorious Russian cryptocurrency exchange, Garantex. The move is part of a larger effort to disrupt the global network of illicit financial transactions that have been linked to North Korean cyber threats.
According to court documents unsealed on Friday, the U.S. Secret Service has seized control of Garantex.io and Garantex.org, which were used by Aleksej Besciokov and Aleksandr Mira Serda to launder millions of dollars in cryptocurrency for various illicit activities.
Besciokov, 46, a Lithuanian national and Russian resident, and Serda, 40, a Russian national, allegedly controlled Garantex from Moscow. The two men operated the exchange between 2019 and 2025, during which time they processed over $96 billion in cryptocurrency transactions.
The Justice Department alleges that Besciokov and Serda used Garantex to launder the proceeds of criminal activity, including ransomware, computer hacking, narcotics transactions, and sanctions violations. The exchange also allegedly misled law enforcement, including the Russian police, about the identities of its customers.
According to court documents, Besciokov was aware that North Korean cyber threat actors were using Garantex's services, despite this being against U.S. sanctions regulations. The company was under sanctions from the U.S. since at least 2022 and allegedly redesigned its operations in early 2023 to evade these regulations.
"The seizure of website domains associated with Garantex's operations and the freezing of over $26 million in cryptocurrency strikes a serious financial blow to cybercriminals worldwide," said Michael Centrella, assistant director of the Secret Service's Office of Field Operations. "Alongside our U.S. and international law enforcement partners, this coordinated action will prevent additional funds from falling into the hands of criminals."
The move is part of a broader effort by the U.S. government to disrupt and dismantle global networks of illicit financial transactions. By seizing Garantex's website and freezing its assets, the authorities aim to deprive cybercriminals of their primary means of operation.