An Indian national, Anurag Pramod Murarka, aged 30, has been sentenced to over ten years in prison for his role in a money laundering conspiracy. The sentencing was carried out by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove. Murarka operated as an international virtual currency vendor under the names “elonmuskwhm” and “la2nyc.”
Court documents revealed that since April 2021 until September 29, 2023, Murarka ran an international money laundering business. He advertised these services online, particularly on dark net marketplaces, offering to launder money through encrypted communications with clients. Clients were instructed to send cryptocurrency to specific addresses controlled by Murarka in India. From there, a pre-arranged hawala operation facilitated cash delivery to his employees across the United States.
Murarka's network packaged and mailed cash within the U.S., collecting fees for their services. It was noted that many of his clients were involved in criminal activities such as computer hacking and drug trafficking. Overall, more than $20 million in criminal proceeds were laundered through this scheme.
The FBI and USPIS collaborated on an operation leading to Murarka’s arrest. Following his capture, the FBI took control of his online identity to continue undercover operations against his customers. This resulted in several law enforcement actions including prevention of financial account takeovers exceeding $1.4 million and seizure of counterfeit drugs.
Federal law mandates that Murarka must serve at least 85% of his sentence before release under supervision for three years by the U.S. Probation Office.
“Using the internet, the defendant provided his assistance to countless other criminals as they tried to conceal their stolen money and illegal drug proceeds,” stated Carlton S. Shier IV from the Eastern District of Kentucky's U.S Attorney's office.
Michael E. Stansbury from FBI’s Louisville Field Office emphasized: “Gone are the days when cyber criminals... can sit safely... convinced of the limited reach of justice."
Lesley Allison from USPIS highlighted their efforts against crimes exploiting anonymity: “The successful conclusion... shines a light on [our] relentless pursuit."
Assistant U.S Attorney Kate Dieruf prosecuted this case after investigations by both FBI and USPIS concluded.