Along With $3 Billion In Transactions, The US Takes Down The Cryptocurrency Service ChipMixer

Authorities stated Wednesday that ChipMixer, a cryptocurrency service allegedly used to laundering billions of dollars in illicit gains, has been shut down by US and German law enforcement agencies.

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The website, which processed more than $3 billion in illegal transactions, was used by ransomware organizations, suspected North Korean attackers, dark net market users, and vendors who purchased and sold stolen bank information, according to the US Justice Department. The Justice Department claims that Bitcoin used by a Russian military intelligence agency to purchase hacking tools also passed via the website.

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According to law enforcement, German authorities seized servers used to administer the website as well as $46 million in bitcoin as part of the operation. 

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ChipMixer assisted evildoers and criminals of all stripes in avoiding capture, according to a statement from US Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. "ChipMixer facilitated the fraudulent transactions of cryptocurrency, specifically Bitcoin, on a massive international scale," she added.

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The service allegedly made it possible for thieves to conceal the origin of stolen cryptocurrency.

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Vietnamese national Minh Quc Nguyn, 49, a resident of Hanoi, has been charged in Philadelphia with laundering money in connection with the operation of ChipMixer. He is also accused of openly promoting methods of circumventing anti-money laundering regulations. 

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According to a spokeswoman for the Justice Department, Nguyen is not in custody of the police. A representative of Nguyen could not be reached by Trade Algo for comment.

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The Federal Bureau of Investigation has confiscated the image that is now displayed on the ChipMixer website. A link "to report further information regarding ChipMixer and its operators" is included on that website.

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