MMA Fighter Reportedly Received $151k in Cryptocurrency Prior to Moscow Park Incident

Russian police report that MMA fighter Lamberd Akhiadov received cryptoassets and US dollars totaling $151,000 before committing a “terrorist attack” on December 31, 2022. Akhiadov was detained on January 2, 2023, on charges of murdering a traffic control officer near Moscow’s Zaryadye Park.

Police allege Akhiadov transferred cryptocurrency and fiat currency to his relatives’ crypto wallets and bank accounts while he was in Turkey. It is believed that he returned to Russia from Turkey to execute the attack. A spokesperson mentioned that Akhiadov had relocated his family from Grozny, Chechnya, to Istanbul months before the incident to avoid raising suspicions about his activities.

Investigators suspect Akhiadov pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS) before the attack, originally intended as a “mass shooting.” Officers claim he planned to steal a police officer’s gun and open fire on civilians, potentially in the park. However, he ended up assaulting a Moscow Administrative Road Inspectorate (MADI) officer, mistaking him for a police officer due to their similar uniforms. The MADI officer later died from the injuries.

Akhiadov was born on August 11, 1994, and was part of the Absolute Championship Akhmat (ACA) promotion based in Grozny, Chechnya. He debuted in the ACA in November 2014 and last fought in December 2019. Akhiadov maintains his innocence, but if convicted, he faces a potential life sentence. He is also listed on the Russian government’s official list of terrorists and extremists due to his alleged ISIS connections.

UK monitors Russian spy ship, steps up undersea cable protection. — Reuters, January 22, 2025.