21-Year-Old Trader Prosecuted Over Bitcoin Money Laundering

A cryptocurrency dealer is being prosecuted in the U.S. for allegedly committing 30 counts of money laundering involving bitcoin.

AccessTimeIconAug 20, 2018 at 9:40 a.m. UTC
Updated Aug 18, 2021 at 9:39 p.m. UTC

Presented By Icon

Election 2024 coverage presented by

Stand with crypto

A 21-year-old bitcoin dealer from California is being prosecuted for allegedly committing numerous counts of illegal money transmission and money laundering.

According to an announcement from the Department of Justice in the Southern District of California, Jacob Burrell Campos was ordered to be held without bail at a hearing on Friday in connection to the charges.

  • Bitcoin Mining in the U.S. Will Become 'a Lot More Decentralized': Core Scientific CEO
    13:18
    Bitcoin Mining in the U.S. Will Become 'a Lot More Decentralized': Core Scientific CEO
  • Binance to Discontinue Its Nigerian Naira Services After Government Scrutiny
    05:10
    Binance to Discontinue Its Nigerian Naira Services After Government Scrutiny
  • The first video of the year 2024
    04:07
    The first video of the year 2024
  • The last regression video of the year 3.67.0
    40:07
    The last regression video of the year 3.67.0
  • Based on a court filing against him entered on Aug. 8 and unsealed over the weekend, the prosecutors alleged that, from January 2015 to April 2016, Burrell sold about $750,000 worth of bitcoin to 900 individuals in the U.S. via his bitcoin exchange service.

    The document said Burrell had not registered the exchange as a licensed money transmitter and intentionally failed to implement anti-money laundering measures. As such, he was accused of one count of illegal money transmission and one count of money laundering.

    Further, the prosecutors said in order to fund his "illegal" bitcoin exchange, Burrell committed a total 28 counts of international money laundering. From February 2015 to February 2016, Burrell allegedly wired at least $900,000 in 30 transactions from his bank accounts in the U.S. to Hong Kong-based crypto exchange Bitfinex to buy bitcoin.

    The transfers were allegedly conducted in an effort to avoid ID verification processes after Burrell's trading account with U.S.-based crypto exchange Coinbase was closed, the document said.

    The prosecutors said in the announcement:

    "Burrell's activities 'blew a giant hole' through the legal framework of U.S. anti-money laundering laws by soliciting and introducing into the U.S. banking system close to $1 million in unregulated cash."

    The defendant is also facing a further charge of structuring international instrument transactions to evade reporting, when he tried to smuggle around $1 million from Mexico into the U.S.

    If Burrell is convicted on any of the money laundering charges, the U.S. government plans to forfeit "any property, real and personal, involved in such offense, and any property traceable to such property."

    Justice image via CoinDesk

    Disclosure

    Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


    Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.