WASHINGTON: Indian authorities arrested at Washington’s request a cryptocurrency exchange administrator accused of money laundering conspiracy and violating sanctions, India’s top crime fighting bureau said on Wednesday.

The United States, Germany and Finland took down the online infrastructure used by the Russian cryptocurrency exchange Garantex, the US Justice Department said last week, adding that two administrators of the exchange were charged.

One of those administrators was Aleksej Besciokov, a Russian resident and Lithuanian national who was charged with money laundering and also faced accusations of violating sanctions and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, the Justice Department said.

Besciokov was arrested in the southern Indian state of Kerala, India’s Central Bureau of Investigation said, adding he was wanted by US authorities.

The CBI said that at Washington’s request, India’s foreign ministry had a provisional arrest warrant issued.

It added Besciokov was planning to flee India. It was not immediately clear why he was in India. Washington is expected to pursue Besciokov’s extradition.

His representative could not immediately be reached.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2025