Ekaterina Djanova, dubbed the ‘shadow banker,’ faces a legal twist that could set her free after two years in prison. This case highlights a complex intersection of cryptocurrencies, organized crime, and judicial loopholes. Experts question how crypto facilitates large-scale money laundering, while highlighting the limitations of digital crime enforcement. Her release poses serious concerns for anti-money laundering efforts. Djanova’s network, Darkbank, operated like a virtual criminal enterprise, offering services to convert crypto into anonymous cash, fragment transactions, and erase blockchain traces. Her elaborate scheme was used by drug traffickers to move illicit funds, with investigators uncovering 68 collection points across France.