The US Department of Justice has issued a search warrant to seize $2.8 million in cryptocurrency from the wallets of alleged ransomware operators.

PANews reported on August 15th that The Block reported that the US Department of Justice has issued search warrants seeking to seize $2.8 million worth of cryptocurrency from a wallet controlled by an individual accused of deploying ransomware to steal data and demand a ransom. The warrants were unsealed in the district courts for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Central District of California, and the Northern District of Texas. According to the statement, the warrants allow prosecutors to seize cryptocurrency, $70,000 in cash, and a luxury car.

Prosecutors allege that Ianis Aleksandrovich Antropenko used ransomware to attack individuals, businesses, and organizations worldwide, attempting to steal data. The ransom money was laundered through various methods, including using the cryptocurrency mixing service ChipMixer. The mixing service was shut down in 2023, and its operators were charged with money laundering.