US DOJ shuts down $389M crypto laundering service AudiA6, indicts two operators

The U.S. Department of Justice announced it has shut down AudiA6, a cryptocurrency laundering service that processed over $389 million in illicit funds, following a joint investigation with global law enforcement agencies. Two key operators have been arrested and indicted, and an undisclosed amount of cryptocurrency assets has been frozen. The individuals are accused of being senior members of the AudiA6 organization, charging fees of up to 5% to conceal the criminal origins of funds and make them untraceable. Since the service launched in 2021, approximately 10,333 BTC, valued at around $389.74 million at the time of the transactions, was deposited into AudiA6 wallets. Of this total, at least 393.39 BTC (worth about $19.23 million at the time) came directly from illicit sources such as dark web markets, ransomware groups, and cybercrime services. Authorities also determined that a significant portion of the remaining funds originated from indirect illicit channels.