Former Manchester United Player Charged with Crypto Money Laundering

Anderson, a former Brazilian football team and Manchester United Player, has been charged for being allegedly involved in a crypto money-laundering scheme. According to Globo, the retired midfielder is investigated by a court in Brazil after suspicions of his participation with seven other people on a R$35 million ($6.5 million) money-laundering operation done via cryptocurrencies.

The 17th Criminal Court of the Central Court of Porto Alegre accepted the request from the Public Ministry of Rio Grande do Sul to fill the complaint against Anderson and the other individuals involved in “theft, criminal organization, and laundering of goods, rights, or valuables.” The authorities say that the individuals charged are suspected of diverting $6.5 million from a Brazilian stock exchange. In part, such acquisition was made with digital assets allegedly bought inside the country and overseas.

Although the Public Ministry of Rio Grande do Sul didn’t disclose the names of the other people accused, they confirmed that the former Brazilian football player is among the suspects.

Anderson Claims Innocence

However, Anderson has stated he is innocent on all the charges. Furthermore, he said that he holds cryptos since 2019 and confirmed that his company sold bitcoin (BTC) to one of these people involved. Still, he claimed that he didn’t know that the money had illicit origins whatsoever. “We weren’t summoned. It’s hard to talk now. There is an investigation. Anderson is aware of this. But this Anderson will prove that he was a victim, not a participant,” Cezar Coitinho Junior, Anderson’s lawyer, told Globo.

Anderson is well known for his background as a football player in teams such as Grêmio, Inter, Porto, and Manchester United.

Recently, the Brazilian Federal Police arrested several members and the leader of Bitcoin Banco Group, a company that embezzled investors’ funds in the name of cryptocurrency investment. The operation led to the arrest of Cláudio Oliveira, better known as “The Bitcoin King,” who was the President of Bitcoin Banco Group.

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