Binance probed by DOJ over potential Russian sanctions violations

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is looking into possible violations of Russian sanctions by Binance, Bloomberg reported May 5.

Specifically, the DOJ’s national security division intends to determine whether Binance or its executives circumvented sanctions around Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Numerous sanctions of this type were imposed beginning in early 2022, and Binance seemingly responded by limiting its services to Russia in April 2022.

The investigation is being conducted in parallel with another ongoing inquiry from the DOJ’s criminal vision, according to Bloomberg’s sources.

Binance and its executives have not yet been accused of wrongdoing, and the probe has not been officially announced or previously reported, Bloomberg said. Instead, it obtained its information from five individuals with knowledge of the matter.

Bloomberg’s sources said that Binance has previously engaged with the DOJ to resolve other issues around compliance, particularly those concerning Iranian sanctions evasion.

Incidentally, Senator Elizabeth Warren addressed Binance’s role in handling cryptocurrency from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on May 4.

Elsewhere, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed charges against Binance on March 27, alleging Binance allowed users to illegally access commodities.

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