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Goklu Bitcoin Money Laundering Conviction Affirmed

The Second Circuit affirmed Mustafa Goklu's conviction for money laundering and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956 and 1960, based on bitcoin-for-cash exchanges with undercover DEA agents. The court rejected challenges to jury empanelment, evidentiary sufficiency, and jury instructions, holding that exchanging bitcoin for cash constitutes 'money transmitting' under federal law. Goklu's sentencing challenges were dismissed as moot since he had finished serving his term of imprisonment.