only if they could actually get to the money... and in which case.... what would they need BTC for.
Get money out Cyprus....? These are not financial geniuses, they are crooks.
? what please explain what you mean.
If you've made your money by sending burly blokes to whoever is in your way, and buying off the rest; you might not be as put off by putting large sums into a ridiculously unstable asset to avoid some government to get their hands on them as someone who made their money through dedication and prudent investment. If they timed it wrong they would loose more by buying BTC than simply accepting the terms of the government, a prudent investor would see this. But some of the kinds of crooks that were hiding money in Cyprus would not think like this.
right.... so if they had the cash already (i.e in the suitcase full of notes in their clutches/jet/apartment) = problem solved and no need for BTC, other than easier to carry.
If the cash
is in the bank, and there are capital controls already in place = russian mafia would have to "
convince" the bank to let them get access to their cash before haircut occurs, so they could then either a) stuff it in suitcase/jet/apartment or b) buy bitcoin from a localbitcoins guy "hey dude, have you got 20 millions worth of Bitcoin? my mate sergi wants to buy them from you , and then remove your kneecaps, and relieve you of the 20 million euros he just gave you" or c) load on plane, fly to another country, deposit cash in bank and then buy bitcoin? unless of course when they were "convincing" the bank manager they also convinced him to please transfer the 20 million euros to Huboi?
So basically, unless you act before the controls are in place, or torture a high ranking banking official, then BTC is not going to help you.
(or you hold BTC already, and in which case who cares about Euros)