Binance is helping Russians withdraw money abroad, which could potentially lead to more legal problems for the cryptocurrency giant in the United States< writes The Wall Street Journal.
According to the publication, the exchange continues to process significant trading volumes in rubles. Customers can transfer funds from sanctioned banks to Binance accounts through a number of intermediaries. At the same time, the exchange also allows peer-to-peer trading in rubles for digital tokens, which often involves banks that have been blacklisted by Western countries.
Such activities of Binance are evidenced by company websites, screenshots of users, and messages in official chat groups. However, the company assures that it complies with the rules and does not resort to violations.
“Binance follows the global sanctions rules and enforces sanctions on people, organizations, entities, and countries that have been blacklisted by the international community, denying such actors access to the Binance platform,” a spokesperson for the cryptocurrency company said.
The US Department of Justice is investigating Binance for possible violations of US sanctions against Russia, according to a person familiar with the investigation. The investigation was first reported by Bloomberg.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the ministry is also investigating Binance’s activities in connection with suspected violations of anti-money laundering laws.
Following Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the United States imposed extensive sanctions on Russia’s financial sector, forcing other banks to cut ties or face heavy fines.
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