Denis Mihaqlovic Dubnikov, Cryptocurrency Money Laundering, Oregon 2024

Portland, Oregon - A Russian citizen has been extradited from the Netherlands to the United States to face charges in the District of Oregon for allegedly laundering cryptocurrency through ransomware attacks.

Denis Mihaqlovic Dubnikov, 29, made his initial appearance in federal court today in Portland. A five-day jury trial is scheduled to begin on Oct. 4.

According to court documents, Dubnikov and his co-conspirators laundered the proceeds of ransomware attacks on individuals and organizations throughout the United States and abroad. Specifically, Dubnikov and his accomplices laundered ransom payments extracted from victims of Ryuk ransomware attacks.

In July 2019, Dubnikov allegedly laundered more than $400,000 in Ryuk ransom proceeds. Those involved in the conspiracy laundered at least $70 million in ransom proceeds.

If convicted, Dubnikov faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI's Portland Field Office is investigating the case. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs handled Dubnikov's extradition.

Justice Department components who worked on this seizure coordinated their efforts through the department's Ransomware and Digital Extortion Task Force, which was created to combat the growing number of ransomware and digital extortion attacks.

Mandatory Facts:

Defendant: Denis Mihaqlovic Dubnikov

Criminal Charges: Cryptocurrency Money Laundering

City and State: Portland, Oregon

Exact Date: No specific date mentioned, but Dubnikov's extradition was this week.

Sentence or Outcome: Up to 20 years in prison if convicted

Dollar Amounts: Dubnikov allegedly laundered over $400,000 in July 2019, and those involved in the conspiracy laundered at least $70 million in ransom proceeds.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/alleged-russian-money-launderer-extradited-netherlands-us