Crypto Founder Charged With Sanctions Evasion and Money Laundering

U.S. authorities have arrested Iurii Gugnin, a Russian national and founder of crypto payment firms Evita Investments Inc. and Evita Pay Inc., on charges of bank fraud and sanctions evasion. Prosecutors allege Gugnin laundered over $500 million through the U.S. financial system, using his companies as a conduit for sanctioned Russian entities including Sberbank, VTB Bank, and Rosatom.

The 22-count indictment claims Gugnin operated a "covert pipeline for dirty money" between June 2023 and January 2025. Each bank fraud count carries a maximum 30-year sentence, reflecting heightened U.S. scrutiny of cryptocurrency''s role in circumventing Russian sanctions.

This case emerges amid broader regulatory crackdowns on crypto''s intersection with geopolitical conflicts. The Justice Department''s National Security Division publicly disclosed the charges, signaling continued enforcement focus on illicit financial networks leveraging digital assets.