### Coin Mixer Operator Arrested#

The U.S. Department of Justice has charged three Russian citizens, Roman Vitalyevich Ostapenko, Alexander Evgenievich Oleynik, and Anton Vyachlavovich Tarasov, with operating two cryptocurrency mixers, Blender.io and Sinbad.io, and accused them of conspiracy to commit money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. Blender.io was reportedly linked to a North Korean hacking group that used it to launder $20.5 million in 2022, leading to its closure after being sanctioned by the U.S. Sinbad.io is believed to be a rebranded version of Blender.io and was shut down by law enforcement in November 2023. Ostapenko and Oleynik have been arrested, while Tarasov remains at large. If convicted, the three could face up to 20 years in prison for money laundering and five years for operating an unlicensed business. The incident has once again raised concerns about the role of cryptocurrency mixers in money laundering crimes and demonstrates the determination of governments worldwide to combat cryptocurrency-related crimes.