The FinCen, dependent of the Deparment of Treasury shut down the BTC-e exchange and prosecuted for:
- Violation of anti-money laundering (AML) laws;
- Acts of money laundering such as the MtGox scandal related with BTC-e
- Requirements to register the exchange with the FinCen
As we know, BTC-e is based in Russia and has no legal obligation with the United States, as far I know and researched about the topic. In the statement previously cited, said:
Regardless of its ownership or location, the company was required to comply with U.S. AML laws and regulations as a foreign-located MSB including AML program, MSB registration, suspicious activity reporting, and recordkeeping requirements.
So, in short: Is it legal that the US law enforcement close a Russian exchange?
