Lithuanian fugitive wanted in US nabbed by Kerala police

Thiruvananthapuram: Lithuanian national Aleksej Besciokov, who is wanted by the United States for setting up cryptocurrency exchange Garantex, had been staying at a resort in Varkala, near the suburbs of Thiruvananthapuram for nearly one month.

The CBI and Kerala Police arrested him on Tuesday as he was wanted by the Interpol.

A statement from the Kerala police said that he allegedly funded terrorist outfits, drug mafias and cyber criminal gangs.

He was staying at a resort in Varkala with family for nearly one month. A few days back his family returned to their native place and Besciokov was planning to move to Russia.

Thiruvananthapuram rural SP Sudarshan K S told DH that his activities during his stay at Varkala would be investigated. Prima facie he was staying at the resort by following the due formalities.

According to the US Secret Service documents, Besciokov, during 2019-25, allegedly "controlled and operated" Garantex, which facilitated money laundering to the tune of at least USD 96 billion in cryptocurrency transactions by transnational criminal organisations (including terrorist organisations) and violated sanctions.

"Garantex received hundreds of millions in criminal proceeds and was used to facilitate various crimes, including hacking, ransomware, terrorism, and drug trafficking, often with substantial impact to US victims," it said.

It said Besciokov was Garantex's primary technical administrator and responsible for obtaining and maintaining critical infrastructure of the platform as well as reviewing and approving transactions.

The indictment documents cited by the Secret Service said Besciokov is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

He is also charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Economic Emergency Powers Act—which also carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in person—and with conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money-transmitting business, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

"On a request submitted by the USA, the Ministry of External Affairs, acting under the Extradition Act, 1962, got issued a provisional arrest warrant on March 10, 2025 against the subject from ACJM Patiala House Court in Delhi. The IPCU, CBI coordinated with Kerala Police for the arrest of fugitive criminal Aleksej Besciokov.

"The subject would be produced before the Patiala House Court by the Kerala Police," CBI spokesperson said in a statement.

He is wanted for facing trial before the United States District Court for the Eastern District Court of Virginia, it said.

The US Secret Service executed a seizure order on March 6 authorised by a judge in the Eastern District of Virginia against three website domain names used to support Garantex’s operations to prevent these sites from being used for money laundering and additional crimes. The US authorities also froze over funds USD 26 million as part of the action.

(With agency inputs)