The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has apprehended Aleksej Besciokov in India under the suspicion of operating Garantex, a cryptocurrency exchange that’s been accused of money laundering. Besciokov is being held and is expected to be extradited to the U.S. to face charges.

According to reports, Besciokov was vacationing with his family in Kerala, India when authorities tracked him down and detained him under the country’s extradition laws. Besciokov is a 46-year-old Lithuanian national who currently resides in Russia.

It’s believed that he operated Garantex between 2019 and 2025 under the aliases “profrog” and “iram”. Besciokov is believed to have worked alongside UAE resident Aleksandr Mira Serda in the coordinated scam. Besciokov took care of the primary administrator responsibilities, while Serda focused on day-to-day operations. The Department of Justice is accusing both of these individuals of providing fraudulent data and information to the Russian authorities, concealing information about their online cryptocurrency activities, and laundering money worldwide.

In one instance, Garantex is accused of allowing Russian oligarchs to avoid Western sanctions imposed after the Ukraine war by using their platform. In another case, a known computer hacking group used Garantex to launder money they illegally obtained. The hackers were part of the Lazarus Group that reportedly claimed responsibility for a $1.5 billion Bybit hack.

After these instances, the United States Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) sanctioned the company for its role in the illegal money laundering. This was back in 2022.

Recently, detectives coordinated a global effort to take down Besciokov. About a week before Besciokov’s arrest, all of Garantex’s servers were seized by law enforcement officials in Germany and Finland. Authorities also froze around $28 million in cryptocurrency. Mira Serda remains at large.

Besciokov is currently charged with money laundering. Once he gets to America, he could face up to 20 years behind bars if he’s convicted. On top of that, Besciokov might face additional charges like sanctions evasion and operating an illegal money-transmitting business. These charges could potentially result in an additional 20 to 25 years behind bars.

How to Handle a Potential Extradition

Besciokov was extradited from India as a result of India’s Extradition Act of 1962. This law allows America to request the apprehension and transfer of suspected criminals to their country to face legal proceedings in court.

Many countries have extradition treaties with America, but it’s important to point out that the suspect was residing in Russia. Russia does not currently have an extradition treaty with the US. That said, the suspect likely would not have faced extradition if he had stayed in Russia. Aleksandr Mira Serda is a current resident in the UAE. The United States does not currently have an extradition treaty with the UAE, but the country is known to work with America on a case-by-case basis.

If you ever suspect that you could potentially face charges in a foreign country, then it’s wise to get in touch with an attorney as soon as you can. The right lawyer will help you understand your options and rights.

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