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Aleksei Andriunin, founder and chief executive officer of crypto platform Gotbit, has been extradited to the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced on Feb. 26 that the Russian national, arrested in October 2024 in Portugal, will face charges of market manipulation and wire fraud. The Department of Justice alleges that Andriunin engaged in wash trading, inflating cryptocurrency trading volumes on behalf of multiple firms. Other companies implicated in market manipulation allegations in 2024 include ZM Quant, CLS Global, and MyTrade. Indictment and extradition Federal prosecutors indicted Andriunin in late October 2024. According to the DOJ press release, the 26-year-old was extradited to the U.S. on Feb. 25, 2025. He will remain in custody pending a hearing, the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated. Read more: US indicts 26-year-old Gotbit founder for market manipulation A federal jury indicted Andriunin on Oct. 31, 2024, with charges also filed against Gotbit directors Fedor Kedrov and Qawi Jalili. Prosecutors allege that Gotbit offered market manipulation to multiple crypto entities between 2018 and 2024, creating artificial trading volumes for cryptocurrency companies, including some based in the United States. Andriunin allegedly described a wash trading code he developed during a 2019 interview. The code enabled Gotbit to artificially inflate trading volume, helping tokens gain visibility on CoinMarketCap and major exchanges. The DOJ alleges Gotbit received millions of dollars from these fraudulent activities, with Andriunin transferring part of the proceeds to a personal Binance account. If convicted, Andriunin faces up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud and up to five years for conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gains from the fraudulent activities. You might also like: UK gov introduces bill to recover proceeds of crypto crime

The Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) of Dubai has issued an official alert regarding the company MKAN Coin DMCC. In a statement on the official VARA website, they cautioned that MKAN Coin has been operating in the UAE without the right regulatory approval. The company has been advertising virtual asset services as available in Dubai, even though it doesn’t have the licenses it needs. VARA made it clear that MKAN Coin is not allowed to provide virtual asset services in or from Dubai. This means they are breaking VARA rules. The platform’s services are considered illegal in Dubai, which puts users who use it at serious risk. These risks cover possible financial losses, legal trouble, and breaking criminal laws by dealing with an unregulated platform. Related: Dubai’s VARA: Striking the Right Balance in Crypto Regulation Under Dubai Law No. (4) of 2022 and Cabinet Resolution No. 111/2022, all virtual asset service providers must be licensed to legally operate in the Emirate. Because MKAN Coin doesn’t meet these regulatory needs, VARA has ordered the company to stop all its activities and has charged them a fine. To safeguard users, VARA has suspended access to the MKAN Coin website and advised consumers and investors to avoid engaging with the platform. VARA encourages the public to report any unlicensed virtual asset activities to help protect the integrity of the market. As the authority in charge of regulating virtual asset activities in Dubai, VARA is still focused on protecting consumers and making sure there’s a secure investment environment. In addition, in December 2024, VARA issued warnings about seven crypto entities falsely claiming to be registered and licensed in Dubai. These entities include Koto Crypto, Crypto Force, Finchain, BTC Bay, and XT.com. According to the notice, any virtual asset-related activities on these platforms do not follow VARA rules. Users who use unlicensed platforms face significant financial risks and could run into legal problems. Related: Dubai’s VARA Issues New Crypto Marketing Guidelines, Mandates Risk Disclaimers On February 13, 2025, VARA issued an alert about the high risks of investing in meme coins, labeling them as highly speculative, volatile, and often manipulated. It warned that these assets lack intrinsic value and are influenced by social media trends, posing a risk of significant financial loss. VARA stressed that all virtual assets in Dubai must follow local regulations, and unauthorized activities could lead to enforcement actions. Consumers are being told to be careful, as access to meme coin platforms might be limited, and to protect their financial security. Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is for informational and educational purposes only. The article does not constitute financial advice or advice of any kind. Coin Edition is not responsible for any losses incurred as a result of the utilization of content, products, or services mentioned. Readers are advised to exercise caution before taking any action related to the company.

OKX subsidiary Aux Cayes FinTech Co. Ltd. (OKX Seychelles) reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, admitting to operating remittance services without authorization in the U.S. The company will pay an $84 million fine and forgo $421 million in revenue.…

OKX settles $84M fine with DoJ in the U.S. Global crypto exchange OKX announced that it has agreed to pay a fine of $84 million with the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) in connection with unlicensed money transfer charges. OKX outlined on its website that in the investigation conducted by the U.S. DoJ, OKX admitted that it did not obtain a license as a money transfer company. As part of the settlement, it agreed to pay a fine and give up the revenue of approximately $420 million earned from U.S. customers during that period.

🚨 NEW: OKX settles DOJ investigation, will pay an $84 million fine and $421 million in restitution