TLDR
- Russian authorities are liquidating 1,032 Bitcoin (worth ~1 billion rubles) seized from former investigator Marat Tambiev
- Tambiev accepted the Bitcoin as a bribe from the Infraud Organization hacking group
- He was sentenced to 16 years in prison and fined 500 million rubles
- His subordinate received a 9-year sentence, while another defendant remains at large
- Additional lawsuits aim to seize more of Tambiev’s assets, including property and more Bitcoin
Russian authorities have begun the process of liquidating 1,032 Bitcoin, valued at approximately one billion rubles, seized from former investigator Marat Tambiev in a major corruption case. The Bitcoin was obtained through bribes from a hacking group that Tambiev was supposed to be investigating.
The case centers around Tambiev, who previously served as a chief investigator in Moscow’s Tver District. Court records show that instead of pursuing his investigation into the Infraud Organization, a known hacking group, Tambiev chose to accept bribes in the form of Bitcoin.
The arrangement between Tambiev and the hacking group was straightforward but illegal. In exchange for not seizing their illegally obtained assets, Tambiev accepted 1,032 Bitcoin as payment. This decision would eventually lead to his downfall and imprisonment.
During a search of Tambiev’s Moscow apartment, authorities discovered the Bitcoin stored on his computer and a Ledger Nano X hardware wallet. This discovery provided concrete evidence of the bribe and led to his arrest and subsequent conviction.
The legal proceedings against Tambiev concluded in October 2023, when the Nikulinsky Court of Moscow sentenced him to 16 years in prison. The court also imposed a fine of 500 million rubles, approximately $5.2 million, as part of his punishment.
The consequences for Tambiev extended beyond prison time and fines. The court stripped him of his rank and banned him from holding any government positions for 12 years after his release. This effectively ended his career in law enforcement and public service.
The corruption case also implicated other law enforcement officials. Kristina Lyakhovenko, who worked under Tambiev, received a 9-year sentence in a general regime penal colony for her role in accepting bribes and other related charges.
A third defendant in the case, Dmitry Gubin, who previously served as deputy head of the investigative department for the Tverskoy District, has not faced justice yet. He remains at large, with authorities continuing their efforts to locate him.
The investigation into Tambiev’s assets continues to expand. The Prosecutor General’s Office has filed additional lawsuits to seize more of his property, including a motorcycle and real estate holdings. Prosecutors believe these assets were also acquired through illegal means.
The current liquidation process involves Russian bailiffs transferring the seized Bitcoin to state revenue. This marks one of the largest cryptocurrency seizures in Russian law enforcement history.
The discovery of the bribe highlighted the sophistication of modern corruption schemes. Instead of traditional cash payments, the use of Bitcoin offered what Tambiev likely believed would be a more secure and harder-to-trace method of accepting bribes.
The hardware wallet where the Bitcoin was stored provided investigators with clear evidence of the criminal transaction. This digital trail proved crucial in building the case against Tambiev and his associates.
The liquidation process itself presents unique challenges for Russian authorities. Converting such a large amount of Bitcoin to traditional currency requires careful planning to avoid affecting market prices and ensuring compliance with financial regulations.
The case has brought attention to the intersection of cryptocurrency and law enforcement corruption. The very technology Tambiev was supposed to be investigating in his role as a law enforcement officer became the tool for his own criminal activities.
The seizure and ongoing liquidation of the Bitcoin represents the final phase of this case, as authorities work to convert the cryptocurrency into state revenue. The proceeds will be transferred to the Russian government, marking the completion of asset recovery in this corruption case.
