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European Authorities Seize & Shut Down 'Cryptomixer.io'

Swiss and German law enforcement agencies took point on the bust.
European Authorities Seize & Shut Down 'Cryptomixer.io'
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Germany's BKA federal investigation agency has confirmed via statement that it worked with prosecutors in Frankfurt and authorities in Zurich to shut down cryptomixer.io last Wednesday.

A part of "Operation Olympia," this joint action was supported by Europol and other agencies from European Union and United States.

What's the Scoop?

  • Multi-National Operation: Swiss and German law enforcement executed Operation Olympia between November 24 and 28, shutting down Cryptomixer.io's operations in the process. Authorities seized the mixing service's servers and domain; they confiscated 12+ TB of data and Bitcoins worth over €25M ($29M).
  • Notorious Mixer: Founded in 2016, Cryptomixer was formerly one of the largest Bitcoin Bitcoin mixing platforms in the world. Investigators say it helped launder more than €1.3B ($1.5B) for ransomware operators, dark-web markets, and online fraud groups.
  • Hybrid Access: Cryptomixer ran a dual-front platform accessible on both the clear web and dark web, helping to broaden access for cybercrime networks. The service polled deposited users funds and broke the ability to trace specific coins, helping bad actors conceal the origin of their funds.
  • Global Crackdown Intensifies: The is the latest in a wave of enforcement actions, including the U.S. conviction of Samourai Wallet’s founders for laundering $237M. It is likely that law enforcement agencies will levy their recently acquired Cryptomixer data trove to further crack down on crypto criminals.

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Jack Inabinet

Written by Jack Inabinet

567 Articles View all      

Jack Inabinet is a Senior Analyst with a passion for exploring the bleeding edge of crypto and finance. Prior to joining Bankless, Jack worked as an analyst at HAL Real Estate where he conducted market research and financial analysis for commercial apartment development and acquisition activities in the Seattle region. He graduated from the University of Washington’s Michael G. Foster School of Business.

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