The CEO of a cross-border currency exchange company in the United States has been arrested on suspicion of hiring a hitman, having paid a deposit for the murder using USDT

According to News.bitcoin, MoneyFlip CEO Marcos Arturo Kleiman Tronllan was arrested for allegedly hiring a hitman. The investigation initially targeted currency exchange businesses near the US-Mexico border, suspecting that he used the business to evade the requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act and launder money through cross-border transactions (to clean drug trafficking proceeds).

In February 2026, an undercover agent from the Department of Homeland Security contacted Kleiman, requesting to exchange dollars claimed to be from drug transactions into cryptocurrency. Kleiman exchanged approximately $750,000 into cryptocurrency and transferred it to the undercover wallet, charging a 10% fee. During discussions, Kleiman asked the undercover agent to help collect debts from a Mexican businessman and to commit murder, agreeing to pay $40,000 for kidnapping and murder. Kleiman paid a cash deposit of $5,000 in two installments; after the undercover agent presented forged "victim murder" photos and videos, he delivered an additional $5,000 in cash and approximately $25,000 USDT as final payment.