Anatoly Legkodymov, the Bitzlato co-founder and former CEO, has asked U.S. President Donald Trump for a pardon. Russian state agency TASS reported the request was submitted after Legkodymov completed 18 months in custody. A U.S. court sentenced him in July 2024, following a guilty plea in December 2023.
U.S. prosecutors charged him in January 2023 for operating the Bitzlato crypto exchange without a license. His legal team confirmed the filing. Ivan Melnikov from the International Committee for Human Rights described the case as part of a broader campaign against crypto professionals.
Melnikov told TASS,
“Anatoly […] became a target in a political campaign against the crypto market and talented Russian programmers.”
U.S. Case Tied to Crypto Laundering Through Bitzlato Platform
Authorities said Legkodymov failed to prevent illegal transfers through Bitzlato crypto exchange. The crypto laundering case focused on flows between Bitzlato and Hydra Marketplace, a darknet platform. Investigators cited over $15 million in ransomware-related transactions.
Court documents showed that the exchange did not follow basic identity verification rules. Prosecutors said this allowed criminals to use the platform to move funds without oversight.
Legkodymov pleaded guilty to violating U.S. laws on money transmission. His sentence accounted for time already served, and no additional prison time was ordered.
While the U.S. case closed in July, France has sought to extradite Legkodymov for related charges. Details on the French proceedings remain limited. His legal team has not issued new statements on that process.
The Trump pardon filing may impact this effort, depending on the response from U.S. authorities. The White House has not addressed the matter publicly.
Trump’s office has not confirmed receipt of the Bitzlato co-founder’s request. The outcome remains unknown.
Trump Crypto Pardons Include BitMEX and Silk Road Figures
Since returning to office in 2025, Trump has granted at least 58 pardons. Among them are several linked to crypto crime. In April, Trump pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the creator of Silk Road. He also cleared four BitMEX executives: Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, Gregory Dwyer, and Samuel Reed.
Those cases involved violations of anti-money laundering rules. Legkodymov’s team referenced these examples while preparing their petition.
The Trump crypto pardons have drawn attention from others in the industry facing charges. Legkodymov is now part of a group turning to presidential authority for legal relief.
CZ and Bankman-Fried Join Pardon Requests
Changpeng Zhao, known as CZ, submitted a similar request in May 2025. The former Binance CEO served four months in prison after pleading guilty to one felony count. His case involved failure to prevent illegal activity on the exchange.
Sam Bankman-Fried also faces a long sentence. The founder of FTX is serving 25 years at a federal facility. Reports show he has reached out to conservative outlets to support his pardon bid.
Both the CZ pardon request and the Bankman-Fried pardon filing remain unresolved. Trump has not responded to either publicly.