- Gugnin used his crypto firm Evita to convert USDT into U.S. dollars for sanctioned clients.
- He lied to U.S. banks and crypto firms while hiding ties to Russian financial institutions.
- Gugnin helped export-controlled tech items into Russia using disguised payments.
A federal indictment has charged Russian national Iurii Gugnin, 38, with laundering over $530 million through U.S. banks and crypto exchanges. The U.S. Department of Justice alleges Gugnin used his firm, Evita, to route funds linked to sanctioned Russian banks. Gugnin was arrested in New York and arraigned the same day.
According to court records, the transactions involved stablecoin USDT and violated U.S. sanctions and export laws. Gugnin now faces 22 counts, including wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg stated, “The defendant is charged with turning a cryptocurrency company into a covert pipeline for dirty money.” He emphasized Gugnin’s role in aiding sanctioned Russian banks and assisting in illegal tech transfers.
Evita’s Alleged Role in Sanctions Evasion and Fraud
Prosecutors say Gugnin operated Evita Investments Inc. and Evita Pay Inc. as a front for laundering illicit funds. While residing in the U.S., Gugnin also maintained personal accounts at JSC Alfa-Bank and Sberbank. He allegedly received crypto from foreign clients, converted it to dollars, and made payments via New York banks.
Many clients reportedly held assets in sanctioned Russian institutions such as PJSC Sberbank and PJSC VTB Bank. Authorities claim he lied to banks and exchanges, denying any dealings with sanctioned entities. But documents show that he processed funds linked to Russia’s nuclear tech firm Rosatom and helped purchase export-controlled servers.
Additionally, invoices were allegedly altered to hide Russian origins. Prosecutors say Gugnin digitally “whited out” names and addresses to obscure true sources. U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said, “Gugnin came to the United States and set up a money laundering operation under the guise of a cryptocurrency start-up.”
Failures in Compliance and Signs of Concealment
Gugnin allegedly failed to implement anti-money laundering programs required under the Bank Secrecy Act. He reportedly made false claims to FinCEN and Florida regulators when registering Evita Pay as a money transmitter.
Despite assurances of compliance, officials say Gugnin never filed suspicious activity reports. He also used misleading statements to gain access to banking services and crypto platforms. The FBI’s Roman Rozhavsky stated, “Gugnin’s cryptocurrency company allegedly served as a front to launder hundreds of millions of dollars.”
Search records presented in court show that Gugnin sought information about criminal investigations and sanctions penalties. He reportedly searched “money laundering penalties US” and visited sites like “am I being investigated?”
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DOJ Strike Force Leads Crypto Laundering Prosecution
The Justice Department’s Disruptive Technology Strike Force led the investigation. If convicted, Gugnin would face up to 30 years for each bank fraud count and 20 years for other offenses. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Skurnik and Trial Attorney Dallas Kaplan are leading the prosecution, while asset recovery is being handled by Laura Mantell.
