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Authorities Shut $390 Million Crypto Money Laundering Scheme in International Sting Operation

Authorities Shut $390 Million Crypto Money-Laundering Scheme in International Sting Operation

Authorities seize servers, domains, and crypto linked to AudiA6.

Written by Rahul Dhingra, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 12 June 2026 17:49 IST

Authorities Shut $390 Million Crypto Money-Laundering Scheme in International Sting Operation

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Kanchanara

Joint operation targeted infrastructure linked to crypto laundering activities

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Highlights

Two alleged administrators arrested in Georgia
Authorities seized 25 domains and over 30 servers
More than 6,000 KYC files were uncovered during the investigation

An international crackdown on law enforcement involving 11 nations has shut down AudiA6, a group engaged in money laundering worth more than $390 million (roughly Rs. 3,709 crore) from the period of 2022 to 2025. As per the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust), two administrators, both Russian and Ukrainian nationals, were arrested in Georgia. 25 domains, over 30 servers, and 80 automobiles were confiscated, and about $900,000 (roughly Rs. 8.6 crore) worth of cryptocurrencies were frozen.

Investigators Link AudiA6 Service to Ransomware and Illicit Crypto Transfers

AudiA6 "mixer-as-a-service" was used by ransomware actors who were involved in launching attacks and earning illegal revenues from stolen cryptos by providing their victims with a service to help them "clean" their cryptos in exchange for a fee of 3 percent to 10 percent within one hour. According to a report by Chainalysis, the AudiA6 wallet has received about 10,333 BTC worth of nearly $389 million (roughly Rs. 3,614 crore) since 2021.

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The criminal group responsible for the service is also allegedly operating an additional forum under the name “Dark2Web”, which acts as a platform for advertising illegal services as well as communicating with other cyber criminals globally, says Eurojust. The investigation involved different agencies from different countries, such as the US, Australia, France, Poland, Georgia, Iceland, Canada, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, and the UK, coordinating through Eurojust and Europol.

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This criminal money-laundering scheme involved the creation of numerous fake accounts based on stolen identities or purchased identities. “Over 6,000 KYC files associated with ‘money mule' accounts have been uncovered in the course of the investigations,” as per Eurojust. Additionally, numerous accounts were associated with Russian-speaking intermediaries who were used to facilitate transfers via the crypto exchange services.

Before this, in April, the US Department of Justice (DOJ), along with the Dubai Police, also revealed an international crackdown on scam rings, which led to the arrest of 276 individuals and the shutdown of at least nine crypto scam centres. Four of the defendants and two fugitive co-conspirators were charged with federal fraud and money laundering in federal court in San Diego, as per the DOJ. Each charge carried a potential 20-year prison sentence and severe penalties if convicted.

Cryptocurrency is an unregulated digital currency, not a legal tender and subject to market risks. The information provided in the article is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, trading advice or any other advice or recommendation of any sort offered or endorsed by NDTV. NDTV shall not be responsible for any loss arising from any investment based on any perceived recommendation, forecast or any other information contained in the article.

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Further reading: Cryptocurrency, Crypto Hacks, Crypto Scams

Rahul Dhingra

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Rahul Dhingra is a crypto writer at Gadgets 360, where he covers the exciting world of Cryptocurrency, Blockchain, Defi and Web3. Before joining Gadgets 360, he worked as a content specialist for a European-based Crypto Exchange. Rahul loves storytelling, not just through the written word but also through the visual medium. Beyond his professional life, Rahul is a sports fanatic. Whether it’s cricket or football, his passion for the game is contagious. More