Anatoly Legkodymov, one of the founders of the cryptocurrency exchange Bitzlato, has submitted an official request for a pardon to U.S. President Donald Trump. His case has attracted significant attention due to the fact that French authorities are also seeking his extradition for further prosecution.
This is reported by Business • Media
Court Verdict and Extradition
In July 2024, Legkodymov was sentenced in the U.S. to 18 months in prison for money laundering related to criminal activities. It is known that back in December 2023, he pleaded guilty to engaging in illegal financial transactions connected to the operations of the Bitzlato platform. Interestingly, by the time of the sentencing, Legkodymov had already served this time at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn (MDC), which was taken into account by the court. However, he was kept in custody as French authorities insist on extradition. There, he faces similar charges, and if extradited, Legkodymov could face up to 20 years in prison.
Circumstances and Public Reaction
According to the investigation, the Bitzlato platform was used to launder approximately $700 million. As part of a deal with the investigation, Legkodymov agreed to shut down the service and waived claims to crypto assets valued at $23 million that were seized during his arrest.
“Anatoly is not a criminal; he has become a target of a political campaign against the cryptocurrency market. […] His decision to request a pardon is based on hope that the U.S. will return to a more balanced and fair approach to digital finance,” said Ivan Melnikov, Vice President of the Russian branch of the International Human Rights Committee.
Legkodymov’s request for a pardon comes amid efforts by French authorities regarding his extradition. It is worth noting that Donald Trump has previously granted pardons to members of the cryptocurrency community, including Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, who received two life sentences. A similar request was also made by Changpeng Zhao, former CEO of Binance, who served a four-month sentence and paid a $50 million fine for violating anti-money laundering regulations.