Fresh details have emerged about a series of arson attacks linked to properties associated with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, with reports indicating that a Russian-directed network allegedly promised cryptocurrency payments to those involved.
According to investigations published by The Guardian, the BBC, and the Financial Times, a 22-year-old Ukrainian male was offered several thousand dollars in Tether (USDT) to carry out attacks targeting locations connected to the British leader.
Roman Lavrynovych was found guilty on Monday alongside 27-year-old Stanislav Carpiuc of conspiring to commit arson. Prosecutors said the pair was responsible for setting fire to a vehicle once owned by Starmer, a former apartment linked to him in Islington, and a residence rented by the prime minister to his sister.
Media reports suggest the operation was coordinated through a Telegram account operating under the name “El Money.” The account had allegedly employed Lavrynovych on previous occasions, including paying him to display posters promoting Direct Action, a far-right organization reportedly originating in Russia.
The Guardian and the Financial Times reported that between 2024 and 2025, Lavrynovych was offered about $4,000 in USDT to carry out the attacks. One of the reported conditions was that the incidents receive nationwide media attention.
The BBC has reported that investigators believe the individual behind the Telegram profile may be Evgeny Lyukshin, a 23-year-old Russian diplomat whose father is said to hold a senior government position. The broadcaster stated that Lyukshin had received training related to information warfare from specialists involved in intelligence and propaganda activities.
Further reporting by the Financial Times linked the “El Money” account to NoName057(16), a Russian hacktivist collective that U.S. authorities have previously described as operating with state backing.
A wallet address provided by Lavrynovych to his alleged handler reportedly received transfers originating from accounts associated with Garantex, a crypto exchange sanctioned by the U.S.
Garantex has faced repeated allegations of helping Russian interests bypass international restrictions. Despite sanctions imposed by both the United States and the United Kingdom, the platform is reported to have processed as much as $20 billion in Tether transactions.
During court proceedings, Lavrynovych stated that he was unaware the targeted locations had ties to Starmer. Notably, the alleged Russian connection received little attention during the trial, and references to the suspected handler were absent from the Crown Prosecution Service’s public statement.
Both defendants were sentenced on Friday, with Lavrynovych getting a seven-year jail term. The successful prosecution of the two arsonists helps to show that elements that try to use crypto for illicit purposes can still be tracked and convicted. Firms like Marathon Digital Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: MARA) will be pleased that this prosecution has once again shown that cryptos aren’t inherently dangerous and criminals using digital assets aren’t beyond the reach of law enforcement.
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