Alexei Beschekov (Aleksej Besciokov) — a defendant in the US Garantex case, whom the prosecution described as the chief technical administrator of the cryptocurrency exchange. He was arrested in India in March 2025. According to a statement from his lawyer published by the ICIJ, On 31 August 2025, Beshchekov died in custody. [1][4][5]
Identification and functions on the stock exchange
The US Department of Justice described Beschekov as a Lithuanian national residing in Russia; in March 2025, he was 46 years old. According to the department, he managed Garantex’s critical infrastructure and was involved in reviewing and approving transactions. [1]
The indictment lists pseudonyms proforg and iram. [2] The role described goes beyond routine server maintenance: the version of the charge also concerns decisions regarding the authorisation of financial transactions. The validity of these allegations must be assessed separately from the mere fact that charges have been brought.
What exactly did the US prosecutors charge him with?
Beschekov faced three charges of conspiracy: to launder money, to violate sanctions and to operate an unlicensed money transfer business. The case was made public in March 2025 in the Eastern District of Virginia. [1]
Point 12 of the indictment describes the movement of $22 million following the hack of an American blockchain network via Garantex transactions, including an account on a third-party exchange registered in Beschekov’s name. In point 15, the prosecutors allege that he recognised signs linking two accounts to Lazarus, yet they continued to operate. These are the prosecution’s allegations, not judicial findings. [2]
A key issue in these instances is the presence of awareness and the authority to make decisions. The mere fact of working as a programmer or administrator of a financial platform does not establish intent; therefore, references to specific actions are more important than a general description of the role.
Why Garantex has been subject to restrictions
Back on 5 April 2022, the US Treasury Department reported that it had identified transactions by Garantex linked to illicit activities: totalling more than $100 million, including approximately $2.6 million from Hydra and nearly $6 million from the Conti group. These figures relate to the exchange and the period specified by the department, and not to Beschekov’s personal income. [3]
One cannot equate the entire turnover of an exchange platform with the volume of money laundering, nor can one assume that all of its clients’ money is of criminal origin. For a personal charge to be brought, the origin of specific funds and the actions of a specific individual are crucial.
Detention in India
On 13 March 2025, ABC News, citing Reuters and India’s Central Bureau of Investigation, reported that Beschekov had been detained in the state of Kerala. The Indian authorities linked the detention to a US request and a provisional arrest warrant; the next step was to be the extradition process. [4]
Death in custody: clarification of status
On 11 September 2025, Meduza reported on Beschekov’s death, noting that the cause remained unclear at the time. [6] In an ICIJ report dated 25 September, his lawyer, Ashish Pandey, confirmed the date – 31 August – and reported that he had suffered a heart attack at Tihar Prison in Delhi. The ICIJ also noted that the prison authorities had not responded to an enquiry, whilst the US Department of Justice declined to comment. [5]
A subsequent statement from the lawyer clarifies the earlier publication, but does not supersede the medical report that has been published. Verified sources provide no grounds for declaring the death a murder. Nor do they contain any confirmation of a guilty verdict in this case.
