Crypto Dispensers, a Chicago-based Bitcoin ATM operator, is considering a potential $100 million sale as its founder faces federal money laundering charges.
In a news release Friday, the company announced that it hired advisors to conduct a “strategic review” and explore buyer interest. Crypto Dispensers cited its shift in 2020 from physical ATMs toward a software-based model, a transition it says was intended to address growing fraud, compliance pressure and regulatory scrutiny.
CEO Firas Isa described the review of the sale as part of the company’s next phase of growth. “The hardware showed us the ceiling. The software showed us the scale,” he said.
The crypto ATM operator noted that it may continue to operate independently depending on the outcome. There is also no guarantee that any transaction will be completed.
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Crypto Dispensadores CEO Accused of Money Laundering
The possible review of the sale was announced days after the US Department of Justice unsealed an indictment accusing Isa and the company of facilitating a $10 million laundering scheme.
Prosecutors alleged that between 2018 and 2025, Isa knowingly accepted proceeds from wire fraud and narcotics trafficking through the company’s ATM network. Despite KYC requirements, the Justice Department claims it converted the funds into cryptocurrency and moved them into wallets designed to conceal their origin.
Both Isa and Crypto Dispensadores have pleaded not guilty to the single charge of conspiracy, which carries a maximum federal sentence of 20 years. If convicted, the government could seize assets linked to the alleged scheme.
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US Cities Crack Down on Crypto ATMs
Crypto ATMs have come under increasing pressure from US regulators and local governments amid growing concerns about fraud. The FBI reported nearly 11,000 scam reports linked to crypto kiosks in 2024, totaling more than $246 million, prompting lawmakers to examine the anonymity of the machines and their role in enabling illicit activity.
Cities are now responding with bans and strict limits. In Stillwater, Minnesota, officials banned cryptocurrency kiosks after several residents lost thousands of dollars in scams, including one incident involving a fake PayPal “overpayment.”
Spokane, Washington, followed with a citywide ban in June, citing an increase in scams and calling the machines a “preferred tool for scammers.”
Other jurisdictions are opting for restrictions rather than outright bans. Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, despite having no active crypto ATMs, imposed a daily limit of $1,000 and a two-week limit of $5,000 on future kiosk transactions to protect residents from potential fraud.
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