Russian Gotbit founder strikes $23M plea deal with US prosecutors

2025-03-21 11:07:53 Primitive Reading

Aleksei Andriunin, a Russian national charged with manipulating cryptocurrency through the Gotbit market maker platform, has reportedly struck a plea deal with prosecutors in the United States.

Gotbit founder and CEO Andriunin has agreed to forfeit about $23 million in Tether USDt and Circle’s USDCUSDC$1.00in a plea deal with Massachusetts federal prosecutors, the legal news service Law360 reported on March 19.

As part of the plea, Andriunin will plead guilty to three counts charging conspiracy to commit wire fraud and market manipulation, according to the letter signed by the defendant on March 19.

An excerpt from letters in the Gotbix founder case related to the $23 million forfeiture as part of the plea with Massachusetts prosecutors: Law360

“Defendant understands and agrees that forfeiture shall not satisfy or affect any fine, lien, penalty, restitution, cost of imprisonment, tax liability or any other debt owed to the United States,” the letter reads.

The agreement doesn’t bind the US Attorney General

In the letter to the defendant, the US Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, Leah Foley, stressed that the agreement to forfeit $23 million is only between Andriunin and the attorney.

“It does not bind the Attorney General of the United States or any other federal, state, or local prosecuting authorities,” the letter reads.

The letter also states that the defendant acknowledges the court is not obligated to adhere to the sentencing calculations proposed by the Massachusetts attorney.

“Defendant may not withdraw defendant’s guilty plea if defendant disagrees with how the court calculates the guidelines or with the sentence the court imposes,” attorney Foley wrote.

Andriunin was extradited to the US in October 2025

Gotbit founder’s deal with Massachusetts prosecutors came months after Andriunin was extradited to the US in October 2024 after being arrested by Portuguese authorities.

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