TechFlow news — The legal team representing Roman Sterlingov, founder of the cryptocurrency mixing service Bitcoin Fog, has recently challenged the prospect of a lengthy prison sentence. On August 15, his attorneys filed documents with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia opposing prosecutors' recommendation of a 20- to 30-year imprisonment, calling it "unreasonable" compared to similar cases.
In March of this year, Sterlingov was convicted on charges including money laundering. Prosecutors allege that between 2011 and 2021, he operated Bitcoin Fog, providing money laundering services for criminals involving approximately $400 million worth of bitcoin.
Sterlingov's legal team argues that while he may have had some association with the service, he was not responsible for its operation. A sentencing hearing originally scheduled for August 22 (Beijing time) was instead converted into a debate over the government's forfeiture motion, which involves 1,354 bitcoins and a potential judgment amounting to as much as $395 million.
