Notorious Hacker Denis Katana Linked to Bitcoin Cash Laundering for Russian Crime Ring

A choose in Spain has linked infamous hacker Denis Tokarenko, often known as Denis Katana, to a Russian organized crime ring concerned in cash laundering via Bitcoin (BTC). 

In response to a report by El Español, the prison group, which operated within the southeastern Spanish province of Alicante, selected to make use of digital forex attributable to its perceived “lack of state management.”

The Pandora Papers leak, a group of 12 million paperwork exposing offshore monetary actions of world leaders, celebrities, and billionaires, beforehand hinted at Tokarenko’s involvement because the “Bitcoin czar.” 

The paperwork have been launched in 2021 by the Worldwide Consortium of Investigative Journalists, revealing varied illicit actions equivalent to tax evasion, cash laundering, and hidden wealth.

Native authorities have mentioned that Maxim Khakimov, a Russian entrepreneur liable for laundering cash for the crime syndicate, recruited Tokarenko. 

Khakimov employed refined monetary engineering techniques to switch and obtain funds from Russian purchasers in Spain. 

The choose presiding over the case mentioned that Tokarenko, appearing as a “cyber affiliate,” offered steering to Khakimov on buying Bitcoin and utilizing it to obscure the group’s monetary transactions.

Past their illicit actions, Tokarenko and Khakimov have been reportedly carefully linked, forming a relationship that prolonged past prison endeavors. 

Spanish authorities declare that when Tokarenko was initially arrested in 2018, Khakimov, alongside together with his lawyer, assisted in transferring cash to him whereas he was behind bars. 

Moreover, they allegedly aided the cybercriminal in managing his investments and even employed hitmen to settle money owed amassed through the years.

Katana Gained Fame as Cybercriminal 

Katana has gained grow to be well-known as a cybercriminal.

In 2018, he was first apprehended for his involvement in a complicated laptop program designed to assault ATMs worldwide. 

On the time, Katana was capable of infect ATMs from his house, inflicting them to dispense money to accomplices often called “mules.” 

The funds obtained have been subsequently laundered via varied means, together with Bitcoin.

Katana’s affiliation with Bitcoin is additional evident via his connection to a number of Bitcoin wallets, reportedly amassing a fortune exceeding 15,000 Bitcoin. 

Nevertheless, the choose’s current statements targeted on a single digital pockets containing 5,000 Bitcoin, valued at roughly 55 million euros in the course of the interval of the prison operations.

The crypto area has been stricken by a sequence of hacks and scams for the reason that begin of the 12 months, notably within the third quarter of 2023. 

In response to a report by blockchain safety platform Immunefi, there have been 76 hacks on crypto and Web3 tasks and companies in Q3 2023, a major improve in comparison with the 30 hacks reported in the identical interval in 2022.

In complete, roughly $332 million has been misplaced to varied exploits, hacks, and scams all through September, marking a record-high month for crypto exploits.