OREANDA-NEWS. Moscow police have launched an investigation after a bag containing $1m was stolen from a Tether (USDT) steyblock seller during a transaction, TASS reported. According to the newspaper, after the buyer handed the bag with the money to the seller, two armed men burst into the premises and took the bag from the victim. The intruders threatened with firearms, the seller said.

The seller later managed to contact the buyer by telephone and he explained that the armed men were his security service. The buyer promised to return the money but stopped contacting him.

Cases of cryptocurrency theft from individuals in Russia are on the rise. In September, it became known about the arrest of a suspect in the theft of more than 34 million rubles, which were used to buy bitcoins and Cardano. And in the summer, suspects in the theft of mining equipment worth more than RUB 6 million went to jail.

In early December, experts of Recorded Future, a company specializing in cybersecurity, called the Moscow City business centre a hub of illegal cryptocurrency transactions. According to the company, there are about 50 cryptocurrency exchanges involved in illegal activities in the business district of the Russian capital.