BENGALURU: Investigation by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) disclosed that crypto trader Robin Khandelwal is the main conduit used by hacker Srikrishna aka Sriki, for laundering proceeds of crime since 2016-17 onwards for the cut, and has operated multiple crypto accounts, including trading platforms outside India, and made several cross-border payments.
The ED also found that Robin from West Bengal had changed ownership of a domain named dharmasthala.org. This was substantiated in the examination of WhatsApp chats between Sriki and him.
Recording his statement with the ED in May 2026, under Section 50 of the PMLA, 2002, Robin said he had undertaken the ownership change through a website namecheap.com and the payment was made in bitcoins. When ED questioned him on how he obtained the bitcoins, he could provide no plausible source. The probe revealed that Robin had incorporated business entities in the UK, but had not disclosed them.
He had made a large number of cross-border remittances using platforms like Mobikwik and Moneypolo but had not provided statements of such wallet accounts till date, despite being required to do under PMLA.
The recent probe by ED leading to the arrest of Robin also revealed he had incorporated two entities, Sigma Trading Corporation Ltd, London, and Supriore Solutions Ltd, London, in the UK and opened a bank account in their name with Wise.com based in the UK. However, he did not provide access to the bank account during investigation.
The stolen virtual digital assets were provided to Robin by Srikrishna, which were then sold by Robin through various crypto trading platforms for earning commission, Srikrishna told the ED. The real transactions were not disclosed by Robin in his books, only to obfuscate the true origin of proceeds of crime.
The ED came to the conclusion that Robin had directly attempted to indulge, knowingly assisted, is knowingly a party and actually involved in a process or activity connected with the proceeds of crime and its possession, acquisition, concealment, etc. He was evasive during questioning under PMLA, which hindered the probe.
