Bitzlato co-founder requests US pardon after guilty plea — Report

Key Points

1. Anatoly Legkodymov, former CEO of Bitzlato, requested a pardon from President Trump after a 2023 guilty plea and serving 18 months in custody.

2. Legkodymov was indicted in January 2023, pleaded guilty in December, and was sentenced to time served in July 2024.

3. Ivan Melnikov, vice president of the Russian branch of the International Committee for Human Rights, claimed Legkodymov was targeted in a 'political campaign against the crypto market.'

4. Legkodymov's indictment linked him to the dark web Hydra Marketplace, with Bitzlato receiving about $15 million in illicit funds.

5. French authorities reportedly sought to extradite Legkodymov for similar charges after his US custody.

6. President Trump has issued at least 58 pardons, including figures like Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht and former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao.