Russia Used Bitcoin to Fund Teenage Spies Across Europe, Says Reuters Report

In Brief:

Reuters uncovered that Russia’s FSB paid untrained teen agents in Bitcoin, with one case traced to a $600M BTC wallet.

Spy Laken Pavan turned himself in after receiving $500 in BTC from his handler “Slon.”

A Reuters investigation, backed by blockchain analytics firms Global Ledger and Recoveris, has revealed that Russia’s intelligence agencies are using Bitcoin to finance young and inexperienced spies across Europe. The report focuses on 18-year-old Laken Pavan, a Canadian recruited by the FSB in Donetsk and later paid $500 in BTC before he surrendered to Polish authorities. Analysts traced the funds to intermediary wallets connected to a larger BTC address created in 2022, which has processed over $600 million and sent funds to sanctioned Russian exchange Garantex. The report highlights a recurring pattern of crypto-funded espionage tied to Russia’s FSB and GRU, including payments for surveillance, propaganda, and even arson operations. Experts warn that this tactic bypasses global sanctions while allowing operatives to monitor fund usage transparently.

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