Anatoly Legkodymov, a Russian national and former CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Bitzlato, reportedly requested a federal pardon from US President Donald Trump after a 2023 guilty plea and serving 18 months in prison.

According to a Friday report from the Russian state media outlet TASS, Legkodymov’s legal team officially asked Trump for a presidential pardon after he pleaded guilty to operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. Legkodymov was indicted in January 2023, pleaded guilty in December, and was sentenced to time served in July 2024 after being in custody for about 18 months. 

“Anatoly […] became a target in a political campaign against the crypto market and talented Russian programmers,” said Ivan Melnikov, vice president of the Russian branch of the International Committee for Human Rights, according to TASS. “His decision to ask for a pardon is based on the hope that the US will return to a more balanced and fair approach to digital finance.”