[2019-11-18] Russian Intelligence FSB Linked to $450 Million in Missing Bitcoin

[Saint-loup]

sounds like another "highly likely" story to me
in the meaning of the Solsbury incident where the UK accused Russia of poisoning a long time retired ex-KGB agent , providing zero evidence
same is here , according to the BBC report , the ex owner says that FSB might have taken the funds ....
here is the original article in russian:
https://www.bbc.com/russian/features-50420738
all the proofs - audiotapes that "the source" somehow obtained from the criminal case material and is "80% sure that the voice belongs to Bilyuchenko"
not a huge fan of FSB or Russia, but when you accuse someone , provide concrete evience ,not an audiotape that could be easily fixed

Does anyone know if an english version of the bbc article is available? Because the google translation of the article is very bad. Most of the article is incomprehensible.

[malevolent]

That's my theory with this controversy as well, but how would the WEX have money issues? They had fairly decent volume and looked like they were able to stay in the clear for a fairly long time.

It's very likely the FSB just took WEX's money when they were able to find a way in, there's no doubt that they are very, very interested in closing down another exchange that likely works with the Russian Mafia.

Damn though, Russia is fucking ruthless.

They had money issues because few companies dealing with fiat wanted to do business with them due to their lax KYC and a long history of allowing criminals to use their site (it's safe to assume that for all intents and purposes, BTC-e = Wex).

FSB are the Russian mafia, BTW. It's likely they used the exchange themselves (IIRC there was some circumstantial evidence that they did).

[stompix]

I will not go into any conspiracy theories (at least not too much), but it seems to me that there is much more to this story than can be read publicly. If the FSB got involved in everything, then there was a good reason. Did they just decide to be good guys and stop some illegal activity, or they didn't give FSB their share of the cake?

Probably they decided to get their hands on those coins before somebody else does, knowing that sooner or later the whole thing will turn just like btc-e , so why not grab it and act like is an act of justice against <insert enemy here>?
Highly ironic, especially if you check the older threads two years ago when their supporters were shouting btc-e/wex can't be shut down, this is Russia, etc  etc.

YoBit is also a Russian based company, but I don't see them having any problems from the Russian authorities. Are they paying for protection, or just not engaging in illegal activities?

Probably a combination of everything and something on top of that pile, maybe they are even outside of the reach of the FSB, operating from god knows where and paying that protection fee to somebody else. Or, maybe it's the FSB running it and they disposed of wex? No amount of tinfoil is enough for what's happening there.
Either way, shady as fword, and will probably have a just as shady end.