Effective Defense at the Pre-Trial Restraint Stage: Specifics of Legal Representation in Cryptocurrency-Related Cases

The attorneys of Grain Law Firm successfully represented a Client in a complex criminal proceeding involving transactions with digital assets. Cases related to cryptocurrency require legal counsel to possess not only profound legal expertise but also a thorough understanding of blockchain technology and the functioning of smart contracts.

In this case, the Client was served with a notice of suspicion under Part 5 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (fraud committed on an especially large scale). The prosecution sought the strictest preventive measure available — pre-trial detention with the alternative of bail set at UAH 12 million.

The defense team successfully demonstrated the lack of legal grounds for the prosecutors’ requests, emphasizing the absence of sufficient evidence and the unique nature of legal relations involving virtual assets. As a result of the court hearing, the Client’s rights were effectively protected, and the court imposed a significantly less restrictive preventive measure, marking an important victory for the defense despite considerable pressure from law enforcement authorities.

The Client’s interests were represented by Grain Law Firm Counsel and Attorney-at-Law Yevhenii Isaienko and Attorney-at-Law Semen Pidluzhniak.