Former Russian Investigator Sentenced to 16 Years for a Bitcoin Bribe

Marat Tambiyev, the former chief investigator of Russia's Investigative Committee, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison due to corruption charges.

He was found guilty of accepting a bribe totaling 1,032 BTC, valued at approximately $65 million, from the Infraud Organization, a hacking group under his investigation.

Tambiyev allegedly struck a deal to keep nearly half of the group’s illicit Bitcoin holdings in exchange for not confiscating them. He has pleaded not guilty and intends to appeal the decision, while those who provided the bribe received suspended sentences.

According to reports from Reuters, Tambiyev was convicted of large-scale bribery under Russian law. The investigation was conducted by the Investigative Committee and the Prosecutor General’s Office. Authorities found the Bitcoin during a search of his apartment in Moscow, where access codes were hidden under a file labeled “Pension.” Officials indicated that the bribe amount was at least five times larger than any previously reported in similar cases.

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Tambiyev insists he is innocent, claiming he was framed and that his actions contributed to recovering criminal assets for the state. His colleague, Kristina Lyakhovenko, received a nine-year prison sentence for her part in the scheme.

The IBC panel emphasized that Tambiyev’s case reflects a significant level of corruption within Russian government circles. Meanwhile, former Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov faces new embezzlement charges totaling $33.4 million and has denied all allegations, which could lead to a 15-year prison sentence for bribery.

Alexander Stefanov