WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The founder of cryptocurrency market maker Gotbit was indicted for his alleged role in a wide-ranging conspiracy to manipulate cryptocurrency markets on behalf of client cryptocurrency companies, the U.S. Justice Department said on Thursday.

Aleksei Andriunin, 26, was charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud in a superseding indictment, the Justice Department said in a statement.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Leslie Adler)