{"id":34405,"date":"2017-07-27T11:51:48","date_gmt":"2017-07-27T11:51:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/?p=34405"},"modified":"2017-08-10T12:26:48","modified_gmt":"2017-08-10T12:26:48","slug":"no-bulgarian-connection-found-so-far-in-us-indicted-bitcoin-exchange-btc-e","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/no-bulgarian-connection-found-so-far-in-us-indicted-bitcoin-exchange-btc-e.html","title":{"rendered":"No Bulgarian Connection So Far in US-Indicted Bitcoin Exchange BTC-e"},"content":{"rendered":"

US authorities have charged the bitcoin exchange BTC-e and Russian citizen Alexander Vinnik, who was behind BTC-e through Canton Business Administration, in a 21-count indictment for operating an alleged international money laundering scheme and allegedly laundering money from the hack of Mt. Gox.<\/p>\n

Vinnik has been arrested in Greece, the US Department of Justice said<\/a>.<\/p>\n

BTC-e is currently not in operation; the initial announcement was for a planned maintenance. There are hundreds of millions of dollars in bitcoins blocked there.<\/p>\n

According to the announcement of the US Department of Justice, Vinnik and BTC-e have been indicted for operating an unlicensed money service business, money laundering, and related crimes, while BTC-e is alleged to have received deposits valued at over USD 4 billion.<\/p>\n

The indictment can be seen here<\/a>. In addition to listing the criminal activities and the counts, it notes that BTC-e own website stated that it was located in Bulgaria, yet simultaneously stated that it was subject to the laws of Cyprus. The same information is found in the reputable Bloomberg<\/a> Business Directory, referring to BTC-e\u2019s website.<\/p>\n

The case resembles the closure of other major bitcoin exchanges, such as Mt. Gox and Liberty Reserve. Part of the money stolen from Mt.Gox has been laundered through BTC-e, according to the US indictment. Mt. Gox was the victim of a hacker attack in 2014 when the record 850,000 bitcoins were stolen. According to the US authorities, 306,853 (about USD 790 million today) went into virtual portfolios that are linked to BTC-e. Vinnik also had administrative rights for the exchange.<\/p>\n

For the time being, it is unclear whether the BTC-e exchange is closed for good after Vinnick’s arrest, or whether there are other administrators who can unlock access to the portfolios of unhappy customers<\/a> of the exchange who have no access to their virtual money. There is a highly likely speculation that the US authorities will seek through the arrested Vinnik access to the site\u2019s administration to secure the imposed fines of USD 110 million on BTC-e and another USD 12 million on Vinnik.<\/p>\n

Available information shows no trace of BTC-e in Bulgaria <\/strong><\/p>\n

A check conducted by Bivol established that the site btc-e.com has not been registered at any time to a company or a person affiliated with Bulgaria, nor hosted on servers in the country. The site was originally registered in Simferopol in 2011 by a Ukrainian and administered by a Russian who may be only dummies (see here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

According to Wikipedia<\/a>, the BTC-e exchange is owned by the British company Always Efficient LLP. It is controlled by the Russian Alexander Buyanov<\/a>, and the previous owner (until July 2016) is the Ukrainian Andrii Shvets. Persons with such names can be found among property owners in Bulgaria, but not among owners or managers of companies doing business.In addition, no one named Alexander Vinnik owns a business or property in the country, and the Canton Business Administration, a company registered in the Seychelles, is not the owner or manager of any Bulgarian assets, a check by Bivol in the Commercial Register showed.<\/p>\n

A more in-debt reading of the US indictment reveals that the accounts used to convert bitcoins in real currency were registered in Cyprus and Latvia, but not in Bulgaria.<\/p>\n

The indictment, however, contains a number of blackened-out names of companies and individuals that also need to be checked for connections with Bulgaria. This can be done with a request from the Ministry of Interior or the Prosecutor’s Office for more detailed information from the US authorities.<\/p>\n

Bivol sent an official question to the Ministry of Interior press office whether there is evidence that Alexander Vinnik or persons related to BTC-e have operated in Bulgaria or have used Bulgarian resources. The unofficial information from the authorities, for now, is that no such activity has been established.<\/p>\n

However, the problem is that dissatisfied users from all over the world, with blocked funds in BTC-e, are discussing<\/a> the “Bulgarian connection”, which, in the absence of reliable official information, fuels conspiracy theories and could tarnish the image of the country.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

US authorities have charged the bitcoin exchange BTC-e and Russian citizen Alexander Vinnik, who was behind BTC-e through Canton Business Administration, in a 21-count indictment for operating an alleged international…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34384,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_crdt_document":"","_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","kia_subtitle":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[5542,5806],"tags":[7721],"class_list":["post-34405","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-investigations-en","category-leading-en","tag-btc-e"],"yoast_head":"\nNo Bulgarian Connection So Far in US-Indicted Bitcoin Exchange BTC-e - 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The embezzlement is primarily tied to funds from different European Union programs awarded under the law for public procurement. The procedures, however, were conducted in gross violation of the law.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Investigations"","block_context":{"text":"Investigations","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/category\/investigations-en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/%D0%A1%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%BA-%D1%8D%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B0-2023-03-30-%D0%B2-17.40.52.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/%D0%A1%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%BA-%D1%8D%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B0-2023-03-30-%D0%B2-17.40.52.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/%D0%A1%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%BA-%D1%8D%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B0-2023-03-30-%D0%B2-17.40.52.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/%D0%A1%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%BA-%D1%8D%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B0-2023-03-30-%D0%B2-17.40.52.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/%D0%A1%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%BA-%D1%8D%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B0-2023-03-30-%D0%B2-17.40.52.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/%D0%A1%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%BA-%D1%8D%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B0-2023-03-30-%D0%B2-17.40.52.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":32900,"url":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/proxy-of-wanted-by-interpol-ukrainian-oligarch-asks-to-become-procurator-of-bulgarian-telecom.html","url_meta":{"origin":34405,"position":1},"title":"Proxy of Wanted by Interpol Ukrainian Oligarch Asks to Become Procurator of Bulgarian Telecom","author":"\u0415\u043a\u0438\u043f \u043d\u0430 \u0411\u0438\u0432\u043e\u043b\u044a","date":"10 January 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Dutchman Keimpe Reitsma (pictured above) has a letter of attorney to become manager and representative of \"Viva Telecom Bulgaria\" LTD. However, the Commercial Register has refused to enter him as procurator. A check by Bivol further shows that Reitsma is a proxy of the wanted by Interpol oligarch Yuriy Ivanyushchenko,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Investigations"","block_context":{"text":"Investigations","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/category\/investigations-en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/reitsma.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/reitsma.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/reitsma.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/reitsma.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":36307,"url":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/bulgarian-interior-ministry-and-prosecutors-office-classify-bitcoins-worth-bgn-4-billion.html","url_meta":{"origin":34405,"position":2},"title":"Bulgarian Interior Ministry and Prosecutor’s Office \u201cClassify\u201d Bitcoins Worth BGN 4 Billion","author":"\u0415\u043a\u0438\u043f \u043d\u0430 \u0411\u0438\u0432\u043e\u043b\u044a","date":"28 November 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"On the day when the cryptocurrency bitcoin broke through the USD 10,000 mark, the Bulgarian Interior Ministry refused to explain how it is managing the 213,519 bitcoins seized under the PRATKA\/VIRUS operation against Customs fraudsters. The announcement of the seizure of such an amount by the Southeast European Law Enforcement\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Comments"","block_context":{"text":"Comments","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/category\/comments-en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/selec.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/selec.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/selec.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/selec.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/selec.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":32457,"url":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/state-lost-on-purpose-telecom-arbitration-in-paris.html","url_meta":{"origin":34405,"position":3},"title":"State Lost on Purpose Telecom Arbitration in Paris","author":"\u0415\u043a\u0438\u043f \u043d\u0430 \u0411\u0438\u0432\u043e\u043b\u044a","date":"26 October 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Lawyer Ivan Todorov had direct access to the \u201cHIGH UP THERE\u201d. Who is the \u201cHIGH UP THERE\u201d? \u201cHIGH UP THERE\u201d is \"Delyan\" (controversial lawmaker and media mogul Delyan Peevski \u2013 editor\u2019s note).\u00a0 Sounds like a last instance in the State! Lawyer Todorov got this privilege by winning the case of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Investigations"","block_context":{"text":"Investigations","link":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/category\/investigations-en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/yaneva-chenalova.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/yaneva-chenalova.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bivol.bg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/yaneva-chenalova.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":25897,"url":"https:\/\/bivol.bg\/en\/good-orange-against-bad-apple-for-btc.html","url_meta":{"origin":34405,"position":4},"title":"“Good Orange” against “Bad Apple” for BTC?","author":"\u0415\u043a\u0438\u043f \u043d\u0430 \u0411\u0438\u0432\u043e\u043b\u044a","date":"9 February 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The telecommunications giant Orange (France Telecom) is interested in buying Bulgarian telecom BTC. This is what Bivol learned from the French consulting group that is represented in our country by man of great experience in the French government. 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