The Texas court sentenced the 29-year-old resident of California John Khu to 87 months of imprisonment in the federal prison for drug trafficking and washing money through cryptocurrencies.

The man pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money and conduct an unlicensed business transfer business. According to the prosecutor’s office, Khu illegally imported fake pharmaceuticals and MDMA tablets (Ecstasy) from Germany, selling bitcoins throughout the United States through the darknet platforms. Khu and his accomplices exchanged bitcoins for US dollars, laundered and transferred the income received, using dozens of bank accounts.

In May 2022, law enforcement officers of Texas accused Khu of laundering money, and in August of the same year, the prosecutor’s office of the Northern District of California accused the man of illegal import of narcotic substances. On August 19, the man was arrested. The investigation was attended by the US Secret Service, the US postal service Inspectorate (USPIS) and the office of the internal security investigation service in San Francisco.

A few years ago, the USPIS, the US Postal Service law enforcement unit, promised to improve the methods of conducting investigations related to cryptocurrencies. The department announced the need to develop a program for learning cryptocurrencies for inspectors.

Last year, a resident of Michigan received more than ten years in prison for the distribution of drugs and weapons in a darknet, as well as for laundering money through cryptocurrencies.