An Indian cryptocurrency vendor has been sentenced to 121 months in prison by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) for laundering over $20 million through darknet platforms and an international hawala network. Anurag Pramod Murarka operated as an international virtual currency vendor on darknet platforms, using encrypted communication to coordinate illicit transactions. He would set exchange rates with his clients, instructing them to send cryptocurrency to specific wallet addresses. Murarka would then use a complex hawala operation to have cash delivered to his employees in the US, who would package and mail it to the customers. After his arrest, the FBI took over Murarka's operation, recovering millions in cryptocurrency and leading to the seizure of counterfeit drugs and equipment. Murarka will serve at least 85% of his sentence and be on probation for three years after release.



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