One of the suspects, demonstrating cooperation, voluntarily transferred his digital assets to wallets controlled by the German Federal Criminal Police Office. However, the fate of the seized bitcoins has yet to be determined as the investigation remains ongoing. Authorities suspect the two men may be involved in other money laundering cases, although no formal charges have been pressed in this regard.
Considering the potential value of confiscated crypto assets, many regulators view selling them as a viable option. In fact, the US Department of Justice plans to auction off 2,934 bitcoins seized from the darknet site Silk Road. South Korea’s prosecutor’s office has also had success in this realm, selling confiscated bitcoins several years ago for a whopping 45 times their original value.