Russia arrests US-sanctioned Cryptex founder, 95 other linked suspects

Russian authorities arrested 96 suspects after 148 raids targeting Cryptex, the UAPS payment service, PM2BTC and 33 other platforms alleged to have enabled illicit payments, sale of stolen credentials, and largescale money laundering for cybercriminals; investigators say the network processed over 112 billion rubles (~$1.1B) in 2023 and generated significant illicit profits. Key figures include Sergey Ivanov (aka Taleon) — recently sanctioned by the U.S. — and Timur Shakhmametov, both linked to services used by ransomware actors and darknet markets; international actions included server seizures and U.S. criminal charges and reward offers.