[2107-03-11] ToI: U.S. jury to weigh case against pastor over bitcoin exchange

U.S. jury to weigh case against pastor, programmer over bitcoin exchange

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/u-s-jury-to-weigh-case-against-pastor-programmer-over-bitcoin-exchange/articleshow/57584192.cms

Jurors in Manhattan federal court on Friday prepared to weigh charges against a Florida software engineer and a New Jersey pastor accused of scheming to help an illegal bitcoin exchange escape scrutiny.

The unlicensed bitcoin exchange, Coin.mx, was linked to an investigation of a data breach at JPMorgan Chase & Co that exposed more than 83 million accounts. The company disclosed the breach in 2014.

Prosecutors claim that Yuri Lebedev helped arrange bribes to pastor Trevon Gross, including $150,000 in donations to his church. In exchange, they say, Gross helped the operator of Coin.mx, Anthony Murgio, take over a small credit union Gross ran from his church.

Murgio used the credit union to evade scrutiny of banks wary of processing payments involving the virtual currency, prosecutors say. Lebedev is accused of working for Coin.mx through a front called "Collectables Club."