Besides money laundering, mixers can be charged with running unlicensed money transmitting businesses.
Basically, allowing people to send and receive money without checking their identities.
Sterlingov has said that his crypto holdings came not from Bitcoin Fog but from early investment in cryptocurrencies.
The operator of a cryptocurrency mixing service has been sentenced to 12 1/2 years in prison.Kent Nishimura / Getty
Sterlingov maintained throughout trial that he never operated Bitcoin Fog.
After sentencing, however, Sterlingov expressed remorse.
I am sorry for any harm that may have come from my actions, he told the judge.
Im fully committed to becoming a better person.
Bitcoin Fog operated on the dark web, but Bitcoinfog.com advertised how to find the site.
But he also said he couldnt remember for sure as it was so long ago.
The defendants statements cant be reconciled with the jurys verdict, prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memo.
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