For nearly a year, federal authorities secretly ran a dark web money laundering operation, posing as criminals in a high-stakes undercover mission.
The operation, named "ElonmuskWHM," targeted a global network of cybercriminals, including hackers and drug traffickers, who were using cryptocurrency to move illicit funds.
The sting involved U.S. law enforcement infiltrating a service initially set up by Anurag Pramod Murarka, a 30-year-old Indian national, who used the aliases "elonmuskwhm" and "la2nyc" to facilitate the money laundering process.
Murarka, who operated the business from India, was well-known in the underworld for providing crypto-to-cash services on dark web marketplaces.
His operation ran from April 2021 until September 2023, during which time he attracted drug traffickers and hackers, helping them launder their illicit cryptocurrency.
Murarka marketed his services widely, offering an anonymous method for cybercriminals to "cash out" their stolen digital assets.
The appeal was attractive.
Clients could send crypto to Murarka’s designated wallets, and in return, they received cash through complex, covert delivery systems.
Source: Adobe Stock
With his hawala-based operation—a traditional informal money transfer method used in India—Murarka transferred criminal proceeds across borders, often hiding the funds in envelopes or children’s books.
The cash would then be mailed to his customers in the U.S.
In exchange, Murarka charged a 20% fee, turning the operation into a highly profitable business.
According to federal authorities, more than $20 million in criminal proceeds flowed through this network.
The FBI’s involvement began when Murarka was arrested and taken into custody.
Authorities then took control of his operations, assuming his online identity and continuing to process illicit crypto payments.
The operation continued for almost a year, with the FBI preventing over $1.4 million from being laundered through their efforts.
As they infiltrated the network, agents tracked down cash shipments, leading to the seizure of counterfeit drugs, drug manufacturing equipment, and millions of dollars in illegal funds.
The scale of the FBI’s operation was immense.
Source: Getty Images
It allowed law enforcement to understand the structure of Murarka’s business, as well as his ties to other criminal activities.
FBI officials highlighted that the money laundering scheme had direct connections to multiple criminal cases, including drug trafficking operations in Miami, a robbery investigation in San Francisco, and several computer hacking investigations.
The FBI’s work went beyond just infiltrating the money laundering scheme.
In an attempt to fully uncover Murarka’s operations, the bureau took extreme steps to identify the man behind the illegal business.
According to court documents, the FBI demanded that Google release identifying data for everyone who had watched a specific YouTube video over an eight-day period, in a bid to find Murarka’s real identity.
Source: Pexels
This effort, though controversial, was part of the FBI’s broader strategy to track down cybercriminals hiding behind the anonymity of the internet.
The investigation highlights the growing challenge of cybercrime, especially as criminals increasingly use digital currencies to hide illicit activity.
As digital currencies become more widely used, criminals see it as a way to evade traditional financial systems that are monitored by governments.
Murarka’s case is just one example of how cybercriminals are exploiting this new frontier.
However, with operations like the FBI’s undercover sting, authorities are adapting, using similar tactics to infiltrate the digital criminal world.
Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office, commented on the operation’s success,
“Gone are the days when cyber criminals, who enable and profit from the horrendous criminal conduct of others, can sit safely in their dens, across oceans, convinced of the limited reach of justice. The success of this operation proves that the FBI can unmask even the most careful anonymous online actors.”
Murarka was ultimately sentenced in January to 121 months in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering, a verdict that underscores the FBI’s commitment to combating cybercrime.
The investigation also reveals the significant global reach of modern cybercrime, with operations extending across borders and affecting countries worldwide.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which played a role in Murarka’s arrest, has also been crucial in tracking and preventing these illicit operations, highlighting the need for international cooperation in tackling cybercriminal activities.
In the end, the operation shows how the FBI’s strategy has evolved—no longer just infiltrating traditional crime groups, but also entering the realm of digital criminal enterprises, taking down operations that span the globe.
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