Russian Court Confiscates $66M in Crypto Bribes from Ex-Official as Digital Asset Seizures Near Legalization

A Moscow court has authorized the seizure of assets belonging to Georgy Satyukov, a former Russian Interior Ministry official convicted of accepting cryptocurrency bribes worth 5 billion rubles ($66 million). The Zyuzinsky District Court's ruling marks Russia's largest recorded crypto corruption case amid impending legislation to formalize digital asset confiscations in criminal proceedings.

The convicted fraud investigator fled abroad after prosecutors uncovered his scheme - allegedly accepting crypto payments to shield financial criminals. With the trial conducted in absentia and closed to the public, the Basmanny District Court had previously sentenced Satyukov in April 2024.

This landmark case coincides with Russian lawmakers preparing to legalize state confiscation of digital assets this year, signaling increased regulatory scrutiny over cryptocurrency transactions. The Prosecutor General's Office secured full approval for asset forfeiture, underscoring authorities' growing capability to trace illicit crypto flows.