Topic: btc-e ??? (Read 240 times)

BTC-e was a digital currency trading platform and exchange.[1][2] It was founded in July 2011 and as of February 2015 handled around 2.5% of all Bitcoin exchange volume.[3] Until 25 July 2017, it allowed trading between the U. S. dollar, Russian ruble and euro currencies, and the bitcoin, litecoin, namecoin, novacoin, peercoin, dash and ethereum cryptocurrencies.

It has been a component of the CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index since the index started in September 2013.[4]

BTC-e is operated by ALWAYS EFFICIENT LLP,[5] which is registered in London and is listed as having 2 officers: Sandra Gina Esparon and Evaline Sophie Joubert and two people with significant control: Alexander Buyanov and Andrii Shvets.[6]

The US Justice Dept attempted to close down BTC-e on 7/26/2017 when they charged Alexander Vinnik and BTC-e in a 21-count indictment for operating alleged international money laundering scheme and allegedly laundering funds from the hack of Mt. Gox[2][7].

Vinnik, indicted in January by a California federal grand jury, has been accused of owning and operating a cryptocurrency exchange called BTC-e, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday.

The Greek embassy confirmed the arrest of Vinnik, a Russian national, according to the government-owned Russian news agency Sputnik.

Vinnik has been charged with operating an unlicensed money service business as well as with money laundering and related crimes, according to a partially redacted, 21-count indictment unsealed Wednesday. The indictment says numerous transfers from m BTC-e administrator accounts went straight to personal bank accounts registered in Vinnik's name.

The Justice Department is now seeking Vinnik's extradition from Greece. Vinnik appeared Wednesday before the Thessaloniki Court of Appeals, where he said he was innocent of all charges filed against him, Greek media outlet Daily Thess reports. It adds that the court will make an extradition recommendation to the country's minister for justice, who has two months to make a final decision on the extradition request.