According to the prosecutor’s office in the eastern district of New York, the co-founder of the Hong Kong-registered Bitzlato platform, Anatoly Legkodymov, pleaded guilty to laundering $700 million through cryptocurrencies.

According to US law enforcement agencies, the exchanger Bitzlato was the largest partner of the now closed darknet market Hydra. Users of this market have sent over $700 million in cryptocurrencies through Bitzlato. In addition, the Hong Kong platform received more than $15 million while processing transactions from ransomware viruses. According to prosecutors, Legkodymov and his team were well aware of the use of the site by criminal elements.

“Today’s admission of guilt by Legkodymov confirms that he was well aware of the use of his cryptocurrency platform Btizlato by criminals. It was used as an open gateway and criminal elements enjoyed lax controls over illicit monetary transactions. The defendant may have thought he was operating from a safe haven overseas, but this prosecution and trial prove otherwise,” said Prosecutor Breon Peace.

Let us remind you that Legkodymov was arrested on January 18 at the Miami airport. He later asked the cryptocurrency community to help find guarantors in the United States.