German Federal Criminal Police
Germany's federal criminal police (BKA) which cooperated with FBI and Michigan State Police to seize E-Note cryptocurrency exchange infrastructure.
Last refreshed: 17 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why did German police help the FBI seize a Russian ransomware exchange?
Timeline for German Federal Criminal Police
Mentioned in: FBI seizes E-Note, $70m ransomware rail
Cybersecurity: Threats and Defences- What role did German police play in the E-Note cryptocurrency seizure?
- The German Federal Criminal Police (BKA) cooperated with the FBI, Michigan State Police and Finland's National Bureau of Investigation to seize E-Note's infrastructure. Russian national Mykhalio Petrovich Chudnovets was charged with laundering over $70m in ransomware proceeds.Source: FBI / DOJ press release
Background
The German Federal Criminal Police, the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA), cooperated with the FBI, Michigan State Police and Finland's National Bureau of Investigation to seize the infrastructure of E-Note, a Cryptocurrency exchange used to launder more than $70m in ransomware proceeds. Russian national Mykhalio Petrovich Chudnovets was charged in connection with the exchange's operation since 2017.
The BKA is Germany's principal federal criminal investigation authority, responsible for serious and organised crime including cybercrime with cross-border dimensions. It works within the Europol network and has bilateral cooperation agreements with the FBI that support joint seizures of criminal infrastructure with German nexus.
Germany's participation in the E-Note seizure alongside US law enforcement reflects an increasingly standard operational pattern for ransomware-economy takedowns: FBI-led actions with European partner agencies executing domestic warrants simultaneously. The BKA's NIS2 enforcement context — Germany's transposition law entered force in December 2025 — adds a domestic regulatory dimension to its cyber posture alongside its law-enforcement role.
