In a scandal that has sent shockwaves through Russia’s cyber security realm, Marat Tambiev, a senior Russian government official, stands accused of amassing an astounding $28 million in Bitcoin bribes from a group of hackers he was assigned to investigate.
An Inside Look into Russia’s Largest Single Bribery Incident
This startling revelation was first brought to light by the local media outlet, Kommersant. This news agency labeled this incident as an unprecedented occurrence of bribery, which the country has not seen before.
These Bitcoin bribes were discovered during an investigation into a criminal complaint of corruption levied against Tambiev. During this process, prosecutors unearthed his possession of a whopping 1,032.1 BTC.
Follow CryptoMode on Twitter, Youtube and TikTok for news updates! As per investigative reports, the source of Tambiev’s cryptocurrency fortune can be traced back to April 7, 2022. This was when he allegedly received substantial funds from the notorious hacker collective known as Infraud Organization Mark. Tambiev was purportedly overseeing an investigation into this group when he accepted these funds, reportedly in a bid to turn a blind eye towards their assets.
Tambiev held a prominent position as the head of an investigative department for the Committee for the Tver district of Moscow. His alleged indiscretions while in this role resulted in the termination of his employment.
Crypto Regulations: Russia’s Stance Amid Growing Adoption
Russia is part of the growing list of countries where active consideration is being given to cryptocurrency regulation. This comes as the nation witnesses an upsurge in crypto adoption and usage.
The country had recently withdrawn from plans to introduce a national crypto exchange. Instead, it is prioritizing the regulation of such platforms. Anatoly Aksakov, the Head of the State Duma Committee on the Financial Market, announced plans for creating rules for establishing these exchanges.
Russia’s Banks Embrace the Future
In a major stride for the country’s financial sector, Rosbank, one of the largest banks in Russia, recently conducted cross-border transactions using cryptocurrency. This move follows the Russian central bank’s endeavors to endorse crypto’s application for international settlements.Â
The turn towards cryptocurrencies appears to respond to the substantial sanctions from Western countries following Russia’s incursion into Ukraine.
Moreover, Russia has established itself as a global leader in Bitcoin mining. Russia was second only to the US in Bitcoin mining for the first quarter of the year. Government support has played a pivotal role in bolstering this industry. The authorities are considering subsidies for a new 100-megawatt mining center in eastern Siberia.
However, despite these progressive steps, cryptocurrency still cannot be employed as a form of payment within the country. In July 2022, a directive from President Putin banned the use of digital assets as a mode of payment for goods and services.
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