U.S. authorities have carried out another major enforcement action in the crypto space, dismantling an alleged laundering service accused of quietly enabling cybercrime for years. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, working alongside international law enforcement partners, announced the disruption of E-Note, a platform prosecutors say was used to launder cryptocurrency linked to ransomware attacks and other serious digital crimes.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, investigators traced more than $70 million in illicit funds through E-Note’s network since 2017. The service allegedly acted as a behind-the-scenes processor for cybercriminal groups, helping them convert digital assets, move funds across borders, and ultimately cash out into traditional currencies. Prosecutors say the laundered proceeds were tied to ransomware operations, account takeovers, and cyberattacks that affected U.S. healthcare providers and critical infrastructure.
As part of the takedown, authorities seized E-Note’s servers, mobile applications, and multiple internet domains associated with the service, including e-note.com, e-note.ws, and jabb.mn. Law enforcement also obtained historical server data, which is expected to provide access to transaction records and user information. Officials say this material could lead to additional investigations and charges as analysts continue to trace financial flows connected to the platform.
U.S. prosecutors also unsealed charges against a Russian national alleged to be at the centre of the operation. Mykhalio Petrovich Chudnovets, 39, is accused of running E-Note and offering money laundering services to cybercriminals for more than a decade. Court documents allege that he began providing illicit financial services as early as 2010, later formalising the operation through E-Note as a dedicated crypto cash-out channel. He has been charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, an offence that carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years under U.S. law. Officials noted that the investigation remains ongoing.
The operation was the result of close coordination between domestic and international agencies, including the FBI’s Detroit Cyber Task Force, the Michigan State Police, Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office, and Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation. Authorities described the action as part of a broader effort to target the global infrastructure that supports crypto-enabled crime, rather than focusing solely on individual hackers or fraudsters. Seizure notices now displayed on the confiscated domains cite U.S. money laundering statutes and confirm that a federal court authorised the action.
The E-Note case comes amid a series of high-profile enforcement actions in the crypto sector. Earlier this month, U.S. prosecutors charged a Canadian citizen in connection with a $42 million crypto-related investment fraud, with the SEC filing parallel civil charges. Together, these cases reflect a growing emphasis by regulators and law enforcement on dismantling the less visible services that allow illicit crypto activity to function. For authorities, the priority is increasingly clear: cutting off the systems that facilitate the movement of illegal funds.
