Assassins now being paid using ‘anonymous’ Bitcoin online to carry out real-life murders, Russia warns
ASSASSINS are accepting cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin to commit crimes, according to Russian media.
The professional murderers are said to be being investigated by Russia’s cyber and IT crimes department.
The shocking transactions were revealed by Russian state-owned news outlet TASS.
Head of the cyber crime department for the Russian government Konstantin Komarda told the agency: “We are investigating cases of professional perpetrators who are specialists in the IT sphere and feel confident in the cyber environment, who meticulously plan crimes and use the whole possible range of means to maintain their anonymity and be left unpunished, from VPN services to cyber securities.”
He added: “For instance, it was identified that a cryptocurrency was used as payment in contract killing cases.”
Contract killers and those paying for the assassinations may see cryptocurrency as a safer way to deal with payments.
It’s very hard to determine who transferred the virtual money.
Bitcoin can go through tens of thousands of transactions before it ends up in the hands of the assassin themselves.
These transactions all need to be analysed by experts to try and trace back the person who paid for the murder.
Cryptocurrencies can be laundered through many different e-wallets.
The anonymity that comes with Bitcoin trading means it’s a popular way to pay for many illegal activities.
This includes drug transactions as well as paid for murder.
Bitcoin isn’t the only crypotcurrency out there but it is the most well known and most popular.
It’s unclear whether the assassins have been accepting several different types of cryptocurrency in Russia.
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin got you baffled? Here's what you really need to know
- Bitcoin is a virtual currency
- It’s traded between people without the help of a bank
- Every transaction is recorded in a public ledger, or ‘blockchain’
- Bitcoin is created by mining
- Mining involves solving difficult maths problems using computer processors
- Bitcoin can be traded anonymously, which makes it a popular way of funding illegal activities
- A single Bitcoin is worth just under £5,000 today, but the value fluctuates wildly
- Bitcoin is one of many different cryptocurrencies, but by far the most popular
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