JohnQPublic
28th May 2013, 06:39 PM
Digital currency exchange accused of biggest money laundering scheme ever (http://rt.com/usa/money-currency-reserve-liberty-903/)
"...The United States government has shut down a digital currency website and jailed its executives for allegedly operating the largest money laundering scheme ever, considered by some to be “PayPal for criminals.”
Costa Rica-based Liberty Reserve has been seized by authorities
in the US following the unsealing of a federal grand jury
indictment Tuesday that charged the website and its
administrators with conspiracy to commit money laundering and
conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business
by providing a means of channeling a currency without registering
in the US. Law enforcement agencies in 17 countries assisted with
the investigation.
In the complaint, Manhattan Attorney Preet Bharara said Liberty
Reserve was structured “as a criminal business venture, one
designed to help criminals conduct illegal transactions and
launder the proceeds of their crimes.”
“Its existence was based on a criminal business model,”
Bharara added at a Tuesday press conference..."
"...Budovsky had previously operated a similar exchange site,
GoldAge, but had that operation shut down in 2006 after being
charged by American officials with operating an illegal financial
services business. He then fled to Costa Rica while serving
probation for his felony conviction, renounced his US citizenship
and registered Liberty Reserve. When word of an investigation
surfaced in 2011, Budovsky told authorities he shut-down
Liberty’s Costa Rican operations. According to the indictment, though, the
company actually continued to function and funds were cycled
through a number of shell companies across the globe..."
"...the US. Liberty Reserve did not use Bitcoin in its transactions, instead relying on its own digital currency, the LR..."
"...The United States government has shut down a digital currency website and jailed its executives for allegedly operating the largest money laundering scheme ever, considered by some to be “PayPal for criminals.”
Costa Rica-based Liberty Reserve has been seized by authorities
in the US following the unsealing of a federal grand jury
indictment Tuesday that charged the website and its
administrators with conspiracy to commit money laundering and
conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business
by providing a means of channeling a currency without registering
in the US. Law enforcement agencies in 17 countries assisted with
the investigation.
In the complaint, Manhattan Attorney Preet Bharara said Liberty
Reserve was structured “as a criminal business venture, one
designed to help criminals conduct illegal transactions and
launder the proceeds of their crimes.”
“Its existence was based on a criminal business model,”
Bharara added at a Tuesday press conference..."
"...Budovsky had previously operated a similar exchange site,
GoldAge, but had that operation shut down in 2006 after being
charged by American officials with operating an illegal financial
services business. He then fled to Costa Rica while serving
probation for his felony conviction, renounced his US citizenship
and registered Liberty Reserve. When word of an investigation
surfaced in 2011, Budovsky told authorities he shut-down
Liberty’s Costa Rican operations. According to the indictment, though, the
company actually continued to function and funds were cycled
through a number of shell companies across the globe..."
"...the US. Liberty Reserve did not use Bitcoin in its transactions, instead relying on its own digital currency, the LR..."