Russian investigator handed 16 years in jail for accepting 1,032-bitcoin bribe

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—by Protos Staff

Russia has sentenced a former chief investigator to 16 years in jail after he was caught accepting a 1,032-bitcoin bribe, now worth $65 million, from a group of hackers. 

Marat Tambiyev was accused last year of accepting the bitcoin bribe from a duo involved with the Infraud Organization hacking group he was investigating while working for the Investigative Committee of Russia.

As part of the deal, Tambiyev agreed not to confiscate the group’s illegally obtained bitcoin. He subsequently received half of the illegal assets on April 7, 2022.

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In 2023, Russian authorities discovered the bitcoin on a Mac under a file labeled ‘Pension.’ Authorities deduced that the sum made no sense given his job could have only made him 11.7 million rubles ($144,000).

Tambiyev reportedly denies the charges and claims he was framed. He intends to appeal the sentencing alongside Kristina Lyakhovenko, a colleague who was jailed for nine years for her role in the same case. 

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