In a twist of fate that belongs in a spy novel, Marat Tambiyev, a former investigator in Russia, found himself on the wrong side of the law. The plot thickens as Tambiyev is sentenced to 16 years behind bars after pocketing a jaw-dropping bribe of 1,032 bitcoins, currently valued at a cool $65 million. This shady deal was orchestrated by none other than the infamous Infraud Organization, a hacking group he was supposed to be investigating for the Russian authorities.
Tambiyev, who had been climbing the ranks in Russia's Investigative Committee since 2011 and had even become the head of Moscow’s Tverskoy district investigative division, was allegedly bribed on April 7, 2022. His task was to probe the shady dealings of the Infraud Organization, but instead, he cut a deal to let their illegal assets slip through the cracks, allowing hackers Kirill Samokutyaevsky and Konstantin Bergmanov to dodge jail time.
When the scandal broke in early 2023, the bitcoin stash was valued at a staggering 1.6 billion rubles, smashing Russia’s previous bribery record. A search of Tambiyev’s Moscow digs revealed an Apple MacBook Pro, which, after some digital sleuthing, unveiled a folder labeled “Pension.” Inside were the keys to two online wallets brimming with the 1,032 bitcoins, which were then safely transferred to a Ledger Nano X hardware wallet.
Despite the mountain of evidence, Tambiyev insists he's been framed, claiming he actually helped recover funds tied to criminal activities. His colleague Kristina Lyakhovenko wasn’t so lucky either, getting slapped with a nine-year sentence. Both plan to appeal their fates.
This isn't Russia's first rodeo with the Infraud Organization. In 2021, two of its members were sentenced in the US for trafficking stolen data and other cybercrimes. Meanwhile, Russia continues to tread lightly in the crypto world, with its authorities keeping a close eye on illicit activities. Recently, nearly 100 suspects linked to the anonymous payment system UAPS and crypto exchange Cryptex were nabbed for money laundering and other nefarious deeds. The US Treasury noted that Cryptex has facilitated over $51 million from ransomware attacks and over $720 million in dubious transactions, often associated with Russian cybercriminals. The crypto world may be full of promise, but it sure has its share of intrigue and drama!
