Two men charges by US Justice Department in Mt. Gox hack
The United States Justice Department has disclosed charges against two individuals accused of being responsible for the $400 million hack of the former Bitcoin exchange, Mt. Gox. The announcement reveals that 43-year-old Alexey Bilyuchenko and 29-year-old Aleksandr Verner are alleged to have conspired in the laundering of 647,000 Bitcoin. These funds were purportedly stolen from Mt. Gox through a hacking incident targeting the exchange’s servers.
In addition to the charges related to the Mt. Gox hack, Alexey Bilyuchenko is also accused of conspiring to operate the BTC-e exchange. The BTC-e exchange was closed down in 2017 following allegations of money laundering. Bilyuchenko faces charges in connection with his involvement in operating the exchange.
Mt. Gox, once a prominent cryptocurrency exchange, held a significant position as one of the earliest and largest platforms in the industry. However, in March 2014, the exchange made the decision to file for bankruptcy, citing insolvency as a result of the hack it experienced. This incident played a significant role in the downfall and subsequent closure of Mt. Gox.
