Men jailed for laundering more than £12m of criminal cash

Two men have been jailed for their role in operating an organised crime group which laundered more than £12 million of criminally obtained cash in the UK. 

Semen Kuksov, 23, and Andrii Dzektsa, 27, were sentenced to five years and seven months and five years imprisonment respectively at Southwark Crown Court on 1 February 2024 after they both pleaded guilty to two counts of entering into a money laundering arrangement. 

The CPS prosecuted Kuksov, and Dzetska, both of Kensington, London, following an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA). 

Kuksov played a leading role in running the illegal enterprise which laundered large sums of criminally derived cash for a fee. 

Between July 2022 and September 2023, both Kuksov and Dzutska managed couriers to collect criminal money and deliver the laundered money overseas. During this period, they helped to launder a total of £12,329,460 in the UK and €168,950 in Ireland. 

The prosecution used a range of evidence including, encrypted chat logs, call data, analysis of cryptocurrency accounts and CCTV footage, to build a strong case which proved both defendant’s involvement in this criminal enterprise. 

Victoria Norman, Specialist Prosecutor for the CPS, said: “Kuksov and Dzetska helped to run an illegal operation which laundered an enormous sum of criminally obtained cash in a bid to make these funds appear legitimate. 

“Money laundering not only funds and facilitates criminality by aiding an offender’s ability to profit from their ill-gotten gains - it also fuels further criminal endeavours, undermines the UK economy and poses a threat to our national security. 

“This prosecution sends a clear message that the CPS, alongside the NCA, will work tirelessly to help dismantle these criminal networks and prove that crime doesn’t pay. 

“The CPS has commenced proceedings to recover these defendants’ criminal proceeds.”