Gotbit Founder Aleksei Andriunin Strikes Plea Deal in the US

Gotbit founder Aleksei Andriunin, accused of manipulating the cryptocurrency market, has reached a plea agreement with US prosecutors. Under the deal with Massachusetts federal prosecutors, Andriunin has agreed to forfeit approximately $23 million worth of Tether (USDT) and Circle’s USDC (USDC).

According to a March 19 report by legal news outlet Law360, Andriunin will plead guilty to three charges related to wire fraud and market manipulation. The agreement states that the forfeiture of assets will not affect any taxes, fines, penalties, or other liabilities owed to the US government.

Agreement Does Not Bind the US Attorney General

Leah Foley, the US Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, emphasized that the agreement only applies to Andriunin and Massachusetts prosecutors and does not bind the US Attorney General or other federal, state, or local authorities. She also noted that the court is not required to follow sentencing recommendations from the prosecution.

Under the plea agreement, Andriunin must accept the court’s final sentence and cannot withdraw his guilty plea even if he disagrees with the ruling.

Arrested in Portugal, Extradited to the US

Andriunin was arrested in Portugal in October 2024 and later extradited to the US, where he appeared before a federal court in Boston, Massachusetts. The court ordered him to remain in custody until further notice.

According to Massachusetts court documents, Gotbit operated as a market maker between 2017 and 2024, engaging in large-scale cryptocurrency market manipulation. The Belize-registered platform allegedly helped global firms, including those in the US, generate artificial trading volumes.

In addition to Andriunin, Gotbit’s marketing director Fedor Kedrov and sales director Qawi Jalili were also named in a criminal complaint filed by Massachusetts prosecutors in September 2024.

The prosecution further stated that the assets listed in the plea agreement are controlled by Andriunin on behalf of Gotbit, despite them being legally tied to the company.

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