In the Federation Tower in Moscow City, clients of the Beribit cryptocurrency exchange gathered with a demand to return their digital assets. This is reported by the Telegram channel Mash.
Clients said that the platform holds assets worth about 400 million rubles (~$4.3 million). According to media reports, representatives of the company unsuccessfully tried to escape through the back door.
The clients were allegedly promised to return 50% of the assets, and the rest within 15 days. According to the media, the two were paid 7 million rubles (about $ 76,000), after which "the money ran out completely."
On April 25, Beribit reported "technical problems with the withdrawal of cryptocurrency." A few hours later, a message about the resumption of work appeared on the Telegram channel of the exchange.
The next day, withdrawal problems resumed. They were explained by excessive workload and technical problems against the background of "the launch of several new products on the platform."
"You may have to wait a little longer than usual to process your withdrawal requests. We are working to reduce this time and restore operational efficiency," the statement said.On April 26, Beribit announced that a new team headed by the board of directors had taken over the management of the platform. According to the publication, inconsistencies in reporting were found during the transfer of management documentation.
The exchange has begun a "thorough balance audit" of balances on partner platforms and a "detailed reconciliation of each client's balances," including transaction history and compliance with KYC/AML standards.
"Clients who have successfully passed the KYC/AML audit and verification will receive the verified status and will be able to use their accounts without restrictions. We provide compensation for the waiting time based on the current Central Bank rate. The estimated time for completion of all inspections is from 1 to 15 working days," the message says.On April 27, Beribit promised "the first batch of payments for customers whose accounts have been successfully audited." They will allegedly receive the assets at 16:00 (Moscow time/Kiev).
Recall that on March 29, the Moscow offices of Beribit and the ABCEX cryptocurrency exchange were searched. Law enforcement officers seized the equipment.
According to Transparency International Russia, several cryptocurrency platforms from Moscow City provide anonymous transfer services abroad, including to the UK.