UK Investigation Connects Tether to Financing Conflicts and Political Contributions

The United Kingdom has broken up a massive stablecoin-based money laundering operation that funneled illegal funds into Russia’s military sector, seizing £25 million ($33 million) in cash and crypto assets tied to the scheme. The National Crime Agency (NCA) disclosed that the operation led to 128 arrests and uncovered a sophisticated network merging street-level criminal activity with international financial maneuvering.

obtained from narcotics, arms trafficking, and crimes related to immigration into stablecoins such as (USDT), subsequently transferring the assets to Russian industries in defense, aerospace, and technology.

Authorities pointed out that the operation took advantage of regulatory loopholes in the conversion of cash to digital currencies, allowing Russia to sidestep Western sanctions.

for economic crime, Sal Melki, remarked that the investigation revealed a “direct link” between UK-based criminal proceeds and financial support for Russian sectors under sanctions. The laundering network also reached a Kyrgyz financial institution known for facilitating sanctions evasion, the illegal financial flows.

A separate NCA investigation, as reported by Bloomberg, exposed how Russian intelligence agencies used similar cash-to-crypto systems to bankroll a spy network led by ex-Wirecard executive Jan Marsalek. The “Smart” laundering ring, run by sanctioned Russian oligarch associate Ekaterina Zhdanova, moved £45,000 ($58,768) to fund espionage by six Bulgarian nationals convicted in 2023. This group, which targeted journalists and plotted assassinations, received funding via Tether, illustrating the cryptocurrency’s involvement in state-backed operations.

These laundering operations also had ties to political figures. An investigation by the Guardian found that Tether, the stablecoin central to the scheme, is partly owned by Christopher Harborne, a significant contributor to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party. Harborne, who acquired a 12% share in Tether around 2016, donated £10 million to Farage’s Brexit Party from 2019 to 2020 and later contributed £28,000 to support Farage’s trip to Donald Trump’s 2021 inauguration—shortly after U.S. sanctions targeted Russian actors using Tether to evade restrictions. Although Harborne’s legal team denied his involvement in criminal activities, the link highlights the intersection of political funding and illicit finance in the crypto world.

The UK’s crackdown on these operations comes as international regulators struggle to address the risks posed by stablecoins. Unlike highly volatile cryptocurrencies such as

, stablecoins like Tether are pegged to the U.S. dollar, making them attractive for money laundering due to their consistent value and easy convertibility. , initiated in 2021, has frozen more than $3.4 billion in Tether tokens with the cooperation of 62 countries, according to the company. Still, analysts warn that insufficient global regulation allows such networks to thrive, with illegal activity directly boosting Tether’s revenues.

As the UK increases defense spending and strengthens oversight of digital assets, this case demonstrates the shifting strategies of sanctioned states and criminal organizations. With the ongoing war in Ukraine putting pressure on Western economies, the convergence of stablecoin technology and geopolitical conflict remains a key battleground in the fight against financial crime.