Two men arrested in Georgia, Ruslan Tkachuk (37) and Alexander Ledenev (25), are accused of running AudiA6, a crypto‑laundering network that allegedly processed 10,333 BTC (over $389 million). U.S. prosecutors have charged them with conspiracy and substantive money laundering as part of an international investigation involving the U.S. Secret Service and the IRS. Authorities seized assets, blocked Telegram accounts, and are seeking the suspects’ extradition; each faces up to 20 years if convicted.
Authorities Arrest Two Suspects Tied to AudiA6 Crypto Laundering of $389M in Bitcoin
Authorities in the Republic of Georgia have arrested two men accused of operating AudiA6, a transnational cryptocurrency money‑laundering network that allegedly moved more than 10,333 BTC — worth over $389 million at the time of the transactions.
The detainees are identified as Ruslan Igorevich Tkachuk, 37, and Alexander Vladimirovich Ledenev, 25. U.S. prosecutors in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania have charged both with one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and one count of substantive money laundering.
“The criminal complaint in this case alleges that Tkachuk and Ledenev are senior members of the AudiA6 organization, who manage the cryptocurrency money laundering service and the Dark2Web cybercrime forum,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
How the Scheme Allegedly Worked
According to the complaint, AudiA6 advertised services to "conceal and disguise the source" of customers' crypto funds so they could not be traced back to illicit activity. The service reportedly charged clients a fee of about 5% of the funds laundered.
International Takedown
The arrests followed a multinational investigation involving the U.S. Secret Service, the IRS, and law enforcement partners in Australia, Germany, Japan and other countries. Operations resulting from the probe included searches of three properties, blocking of accounts on the messaging platform Telegram, freezing and seizure of cryptocurrency holdings, and placement of a seizure banner on AudiA6’s dark‑web site.
Law enforcement used blockchain analysis to trace 10,333 BTC deposited into AudiA6-controlled accounts. Investigators say roughly $19 million of those funds were traced directly to known criminal sources.
Detention, Extradition And Possible Penalties
Tkachuk and Ledenev remain in custody in Georgia while U.S. authorities seek their extradition to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. If convicted on the federal charges, each faces up to 20 years in prison.
Separately, blockchain researcher ZachXBT reported that funds stolen via a fraudulent Ledger app that appeared in the Mac App Store earlier this year were purportedly laundered through AudiA6.
Note: The investigation is ongoing and allegations are subject to legal proceedings.
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