Russia-linked crooks bought a bank for Christmas to launder cyber loot

On Christmas Day 2024, a Russian-linked laundering network bought itself a very special present: a controlling stake in a Kyrgyzstan bank, later used to wash cybercrime profits and funnel money into Moscow's war machine, according to the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA). The network, exposed through the NCA's long-running …

[retiredFool]

What a surprise

A money laundering scheme with crypto as part of the process. Such a surprise /s

[KittenHuffer]

Re: What a surprise

I'm more surprised that crypto is being used for a money laundering scheme rather than a Ponzi scheme!

[druck]

Re: What a surprise

At last - a true dual-use technology!

[Anonymous Coward]

They'll be buying

Politicians & Political Parties next.

[gryphon]

Re: They'll be buying

I think you need to remove the 'next' and change the tense.

[MiguelC]

Re: They'll be buying

Yep, see https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn8vnv3dk0vo

[Anonymous Coward]

A bit of a "giveaway"

The IP space for the "Keremet Bank" (www.keremetbank.kg) sits quietly in the RIPE database with the following data:

$ host www.keremetbank.kg

www.keremetbank.kg has address 185.88.34.66

inetnum: 185.88.34.0 - 185.88.34.255

netname: ROSINBANK-NET

descr: OJSC "Russian Investment Bank"

country: KG

admin-c: SA32758-RIPE

tech-c: SA32758-RIPE

status: ASSIGNED PA

mnt-by: ROSINBANK-MNT

created: 2015-02-18T10:56:16Z

last-modified: 2015-02-18T10:56:16Z

source: RIPE

The Abuse-contact for this IP space is still listed as "[e-mail]", and the "Russian Investment Bank" (rib.kg) domain redirects to www.keremet.kg.

So after they found what bank the money went to, it's pretty straight forward with a bit OSINT to dig up some more clues..

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: A bit of a "giveaway"

Do you mean it should have been quick and easy? Like 5 minutes and $20? Are you saying that the police are really as stupid as this suggests?

[mark l 2]

Melki said they are "paid very little for the risks they take" and could face years behind bars. Several have already found out the hard way. In April, two men were jailed for laundering £6 million by exploiting the Russia-Ukraine war to justify moving criminal funds, with one later found to have bought a £1 million house using the proceeds.

Im not sure id agree that being able to buy a million pound house is 'paid very little for the risk they take'. People commit much riskier crimes such as house burglary or robbery which nets them less in profit yet equally as long jail sentences.

[retiredFool]

And in the US, don't forget "Stand your ground". Death is a real thing in home burglary in the US.

[Anonymous Coward]

Death is a real thing if you JUST live in the US of A.

I thought 'Stand your Ground' meant that you could shoot anybody who came 'near' your property if you 'thought you were under threat' !!!

This was recently the case when a cleaner was shot because they went to the 'wrong house'.

:)

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Death is a real thing if you JUST live in the US of A.

Any colored person entering any premise is suspect and should be shot!

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Death is a real thing if you JUST live in the US of A.

I get the 'joke' ... but your downvoter did not !!!

BTW:

It appears that now it includes coloured, hispanic, asian ... in fact anyone you may decide is an 'other' to you !!!

American the Land of the Free is getting far too dangerous.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

and if they are not 'my kind' I will shoot them !!!

:)

[Anonymous Coward]

It should be.

[cd]

Couldn't they hobble this by forwarding the funds to Ukraine?

Could do the same wuth sanctioned ships; impound and donate.

If they had any working warships...

https://maritime-executive.com/article/royal-navy-s-bahrain-based-frigate-slinks-back-home-silently