Reports suggest that a Russian official allegedly accepted $28 million worth of BTC bribes. The official reportedly accepted large bribes from a group that was under its own investigation. The use of cryptocurrencies in Russia has seen a constant increase since the previous year.
A Russian government official, Marat Tambiev, allegedly collected $28 million in Bitcoin bribes from a hacker group he was investigating.
Local outlet Kommersant was the first to report on the incident, describing it as the country’s biggest bribery case.
Over 1,000 BTC in Bribes
Prosecutors first learned of the Bitcoin bribes while investigating a criminal corruption charge against Tamblev. They found out that he owns 1,032.1 BTC.
According to authorities, Tambiev received the bribe on April 7, 2022, from hacking group Infraud Organization Mark and group members Konstantin Bergmanov and Kirill Samokutyaevsky. The report said Tambiev accepted the bribe in exchange for not seizing the illegal assets of the hackers he was investigating.
Kommersant noted that the hackers received suspended sentences of 2.5 to 3.5 years. Authorities recovered around $8.6 million worth of Bitcoin from the criminals.
Tamblev is also the head of an investigative department of the Moscow Tver District Committee and received funds from the hackers while in that position. His corruption led to the termination of his employment.
The Deputy Prosecutor General noted that Tambiev had received 11.7 million rubles (less than $150,000) during his tenure on the Investigative Committee. The fact that he held $28 million worth of Bitcoin “indicates receipt of assets from sources not provided for by law,” he said.
According to Kommersant, Tambiev is due to appear in court on June 5, when the prosecutor will seek to seize all of his ill-gotten funds. He has been fighting the accusations and has denied the corruption charges.
Furthermore, Tamblev recently sued the Investigative Committee and sought reinstatement because the investigation was ongoing and the charges had not been proven. However, the suit was dismissed after a departmental audit proved corruption, as reported by Kommersant.
Use of Cryptocurrencies in Russia on the Rise
Russia is one of many countries actively considering cryptocurrency regulation amid its increasing rate of adoption and usage.
The country recently canceled plans to establish a national crypto exchange and would instead focus on regulating such platforms. The head of the State Duma Committee on the financial market, Anatoly Aksakov, noted that the country would formulate rules for establishing such cryptocurrency exchanges.
One of the largest banks in Russia, Rosbank, recently completed cross-border transactions in cryptocurrencies. This follows the Russian central bank’s attempt to allow the use of crypto for international deals.
Russia has been inclined towards cryptocurrencies ever since Western countries heavily sanctioned the country, following their invasion of Ukraine.
Furthermore, Russia was the second largest Bitcoin miner after the United States in the first three months of 2023. According to the report, mining activities in the country are supported by the government, as authorities seek to subsidize a new 100-megawatt mining center in eastern Siberia.
Despite these positive moves, cryptocurrencies cannot be used as a form of payment within the country. In July 2022, President Putin banned the use of digital assets as a method of payment for goods and services.
By Audy Castaneda
