US Treasury Sanctions Russian Firms Linked to Cybercrimes Involving Crypto

The US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on Russian firm Aeza Group and three affiliated entities for their roles in facilitating ransomware attacks, infostealers, and darknet market activities tied to cryptocurrency. The targeted companies provided bulletproof hosting services, enabling cybercriminals to launch attacks globally, including against US victims.

Acting Under Secretary Bradley T. Smith emphasized the critical role of such services in enabling disruptive ransomware operations, technology theft, and illicit drug sales. The sanctioned entities include UK-based Aeza International Ltd and its Russian subsidiaries, Aeza Logistics LLC and Cloud Solutions LLC, all accused of harvesting and selling sensitive personal data on darknet markets.

Key individuals implicated in the scheme include Arsenii Aleksandrovich Penzev, CEO and partial owner of Aeza Group, and Yurii Meruzhanovich Bozoyan, the firm's general director. The sanctions underscore growing regulatory scrutiny of cryptocurrency's intersection with cybercrime.