Abstract:FCA and Metropolitan Police arrest two suspects in London linked to a £1 billion unregistered crypto exchange, highlighting anti-money laundering efforts.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Metropolitan Police Service have worked together to take two people into custody who are accused of running an illegal cryptocurrency asset exchange. This is a substantial enforcement action. Concerns that the exchange had completed transactions totaling more than £1 billion in unregistered crypto assets led to the arrest of the 38- and 44-year-old accused.
Police searched two residential residences in London and confiscated various digital devices during the combined operation, which included checks of the suspects' linked properties. The FCA then conducted a series of questioning sessions with the accused under caution before releasing them on bond while more investigation was conducted.
In its continued efforts to protect the integrity of the UK financial system, the FCA has emphasized the significance of this operation. In order to lawfully operate, crypto asset exchange providers in the UK need to register with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and adhere to strict anti-money laundering procedures.
“The FCA has a significant role to play in keeping dirty money out of the UK financial system,” said Therese Chambers, Executive Director of Enforcement and Market Oversight at the FCA. These arrests demonstrate that we will make every effort to prevent cryptocurrency companies from engaging in unlawful activity inside the borders of the United Kingdom.
The steps taken by the FCA are part of a larger regulatory effort to crack down on illegal financial activity in the quickly expanding cryptocurrency industry. The FCA seeks to stop the use of cryptocurrencies for money laundering and other illicit purposes by enforcing compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
The FCA is committed to maintaining a safe and open financial system, and it is demonstrating this by closely monitoring and enforcing compliance within the cryptocurrency market even while the inquiry drags on.
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