Bitzlato Co-Founder Requests Trump Pardon After Guilty Plea

Bitzlato Co-Founder Seeks Trump Pardon After Guilty Plea — Report

Bitzlato Co-Founder, Anatoly Legkodymov, a Russian national and former CEO of the crypto exchange Bitzlato, has formally requested a presidential pardon from U.S. President Donald Trump after pleading guilty in 2023 to operating an unlicensed money transmission business.

According to Russian state media outlet TASS, Legkodymov’s legal team submitted the request following his release in July 2024, after serving 18 months in U.S. custody. He was arrested in January 2023, pleaded guilty in December, and received a sentence of time served.

“Anatoly […] became a target in a political campaign against the crypto market and talented Russian programmers,” said Ivan Melnikov, vice president of the Russian branch of the International Committee for Human Rights. “His decision to ask for a pardon reflects his hope for a more balanced and fair U.S. approach to digital finance.”

Charges Tied to Dark Web, Ransomware

According to court filings, Legkodymov’s exchange helped process hundreds of millions of dollars in illicit transactions. Authorities claimed that funds from Bitzlato reached the Hydra Marketplace, a major dark web hub, and included more than $15 million linked to ransomware attacks.

French prosecutors also launched efforts to extradite Legkodymov to face additional charges. It remains unclear whether Trump has reviewed the pardon request or plans to act on it.

Cointelegraph reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive a response before publication.

Trump Has Pardoned Multiple Crypto Figures

Since his return to office in January, President Trump has issued at least 58 pardons. Several involved individuals from the crypto and blockchain sectors:

Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, received a pardon despite facing two life sentences.
Four former BitMEX executives — Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, Gregory Dwyer, and Samuel Reed — were also pardoned.
Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, former CEO of Binance, confirmed in May that he had submitted a pardon request. Zhao pleaded guilty to a felony in 2023 and served four months in prison.
Reports suggest that Sam Bankman-Fried, former CEO of FTX, is seeking a Trump pardon as well. He has been appearing on conservative platforms and distancing himself from the Democratic Party after receiving a 25-year sentence in 2024.