The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) announced the seizure of over $2.8 million in cryptocurrency, $70,000 in cash, and a luxury vehicle linked to Zeppelin ransomware operations.
The warrants were unsealed on August 14, 2025, in federal courts across Virginia, California, and Texas.
Authorities allege that the assets belong to Ianis Aleksandrovich Antropenko, who has been indicted in the Northern District of Texas for computer fraud, abuse, and money laundering conspiracies.
According to court documents, Antropenko and his associates leveraged Zeppelin ransomware to target businesses, healthcare institutions, and other organizations worldwide.
Key Takeaways
1. DoJ seized $2.8M in crypto and assets from Zeppelin ransomware operator.
2. Zeppelin encrypted and stole data, demanding ransoms in bitcoin/monero.
3. FBI blockchain tracing enabled the seizure, proving ransomware profits can be tracked.
Victims’ files were encrypted and exfiltrated, with ransom payments demanded in cryptocurrency—primarily bitcoin and monero—in exchange for decryption keys or assurances that stolen data would not be leaked publicly.
Authorities Seize $1.5M in Crypto
According to the unsealed affidavits, the cryptocurrency that was confiscated was the result of ransomware activity that was laundered through a number of different channels.
Notably, Antropenko utilized ChipMixer, a well-known cryptocurrency mixing service dismantled in 2023 during a joint international law enforcement operation.
Investigators tracked ransom funds across blockchain networks using multi-input clustering techniques, transaction graph analysis, and temporal spending patterns.
Authorities determined that the funds were repeatedly transferred and then consolidated into a wallet controlled directly by Antropenko.
Additionally linked to the laundering operation were the converted cash deposits, which were frequently set up to evade banking-reporting thresholds.
The investigation demonstrates how blockchain analytics, coupled with federal forfeiture statutes (18 U.S.C. § 981, 982), can successfully disrupt sophisticated cybercriminal money movements.
The seizure was enabled by FBI blockchain analysis and multi-district cooperation, underscoring that ransomware operators remain vulnerable despite using advanced mixing tools and laundering methods.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti emphasized that the seizure “proves that ransomware profits, no matter how carefully concealed, remain vulnerable to law enforcement intervention.”
Since 2020, CCIPS has dismantled multiple ransomware groups, securing over $350 million in forfeited assets and preventing an additional $200 million in ransom payments.
The Zeppelin case serves both as a warning and a precedent: even with the aid of advanced mixers and laundering techniques, ransomware operators remain exposed to coordinated investigative efforts.
The indictment remains an allegation, and Antropenko is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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