The State Prosecutor of Estonia has utilized an alternative resolution mechanism to penalize a cryptocurrency investor who provided financial support to Russia's military efforts in Ukraine.
According to ERR, the case demonstrates an emerging prosecutorial approach to handling individuals who funnel money to organizations supplying Russian forces.
In 2022, the unnamed crypto investor made three transfers through the Binance exchange, each worth 0.0008 Bitcoin. Due to cryptocurrency price fluctuations, the transfers amounted to €23.30, €15.20, and €16.10 respectively—totaling €54.60 in support of an organization procuring equipment for Russian military personnel deployed in Ukraine.
The first transfer occurred on 7 June 2022, roughly one month after Estonia's Criminal Code was amended with a new provision addressing support for acts of foreign state aggression. This timing triggered the attention of Estonia's Security Police (KAPO), according to ERR.
Margaret Beres, an assistant state prosecutor, determined that the case presented an opportunity for applying opportunité—a prosecutorial tool that permits dismissal of criminal charges without trial if the suspect satisfies specified conditions. According to the reports, this mechanism allows prosecutors to resolve cases through alternative means rather than judicial proceedings.
The investor agreed to donate to a Ukrainian charitable organization an amount equaling 30 times his original transfers to the pro-Russia group. The prosecutor's office randomly selected the recipient: the Ukrainian Cultural Center, a nonprofit organization operating in Tallinn. The total penalty donation reached €1,638.
Beyond the financial obligation, the investor faces an additional requirement: 75 hours of community work over a six-month period. According to reports, should the suspect fail to fulfill these obligations, the prosecutor's office intends to reinstate criminal proceedings.
"If the suspect evades these obligations, the prosecutor's office will resume criminal proceedings," Beres said, according to ERR.
This case reflects Estonia's broader efforts to combat support for Russian military operations. Previously, the country convicted a soldier from a voluntary defense organization to nearly five years imprisonment on espionage charges related to Russian intelligence services. In late May, Estonia expelled and transferred to Ukrainian authorities a Ukrainian citizen who maintained contact with Russian FSB operatives, the reports note.
The penalty structure—requiring restitution far exceeding the original transgression—represents a departure from conventional sentencing approaches. The use of opportunité in this context transforms the case into an enforcement strategy that prioritizes compensation to Ukrainian beneficiaries over criminal punishment through incarceration.
