FBI Dismantles Global Crypto Laundering Operation

A joint operation between the FBI and Australian police has led to the dismantling of an international cryptocurrency laundering operation. The U.S. Embassy in Australia announced that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Australian Federal Police have completed a joint investigation with the Western Australia Police, resulting in the arrest of two individuals.

The suspects, Reuben Ian Thomson and Louis Michael Gebler, were charged with allegedly hiding malicious code in open-source software. They harvested over 500,000 credentials and compromised more than 1,000 organizations worldwide through supply-chain attacks.

Authorities seized large amounts of cryptocurrency assets and premium property purchased with them during the operation. The U.S. Embassy emphasized that this case demonstrates law enforcement's ability to deanonymize and seize cryptocurrency anywhere in the world.