Crypto Bribery Soars in Russia

According to attorneys, the number of crypto bribery cases in Russia is rising as corrupt individuals receive payment in tokens such as Bitcoin (BTC).

Marina Odintsova, the director of the Kirov branch of the Association of Lawyers of Russia, stated in an interview with Svoy Kirovsky Portal that there has been a recent increase in “non-cash” bribery in Russia.

Bribery: Cryptocurrency: Russia Observing an Increase in the Number of Cases

Odintsova was responding to a query regarding the “most prevalent methods of bribery transfer” in Russia.

According to the attorney, there are “three” prevalent methods of bribery. The initial term she used was “crypto.” Odintsova stated:

“We have recently seen cryptocurrency involved in bribery cases. Cryptocurrency is the sector that is the least controlled by the state. And it is extremely difficult to track transfers made [using crypto]. However, it is not impossible.”

She also mentioned that the courts in the Moscow Oblast are presently investigating the most enormous bribe in modern Russian history. Odintsova also observed that this case is associated with cryptocurrency.

A Landmark Case of Bitcoin Bribery

Odintsova was alluding to the instance of two investigators from the Russian army. It is alleged that the investigators requested that a group of hackers pay them thousands of Bitcoin to conceal their investigation.

In June of this year, a Moscow Oblast court declared that two Investigative Committee employees are the “prime suspects” in a trial scheduled to commence shortly.

According to prosecutors, the domestic subsidiary of the Infraud Organization, an international cybercrime syndicate, was the subject of an investigation by Russian law enforcement officials.

According to court documents, the hackers were allegedly required to pay Army Major Marat Tambiev BTC 2,718.

According to prosecutors, Tambiev and another suspect “agreed not to confiscate” approximately $159.6 million in cryptocurrency in exchange for providing the bribe.

The Federal Security Service was informed of the purported bribe by the hackers. Subsequently, they were convicted of cybercrime offenses and sentenced to prison terms ranging from two and a half to three years.

Bribes Are Distributed Through “Third Parties”

Odintsova, however, clarified that crypto favors are also on the rise in less high-profile cases. She stated that “non-cash transfers” that utilize cryptocurrency are frequently transmitted to bribe-takers wallets through a third party.

The counsel stated that these third parties frequently consist of “friends, acquaintances, and relatives.” Additionally, she identified “property” and currency bribes as prevalent methods for concluding corrupt transactions.

In contrast, the Russian Central Bank is expediting the implementation of its CBDC initiatives. The bank has announced that the second phase of its digital ruble initiative will be initiated in September.