Chinese authorities’ recent actions to define crypto as a money laundering tool could influence the performance of its billion-dollar gaming industry. SCMP’s Hugh Harsono argues that these measures may affect games like Metacene, which has introduced cryptocurrencies as in-game currency. In addition, games that include play-to-earn components and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) could also be impacted…
A Denver resident has been convicted of running an illegal gambling business involving several parlors across Colorado. The scheme involved electronic games and a fake cryptocurrency to conceal the exchange of credits for cash, revealing fraud and money laundering. The only function of this crypto “was to be exchanged for cash at an ATM-like ‘cryptocurrency…
Welcome to Latam Insights, a compendium of Latin America’s most relevant crypto and economic news from the past week. In this issue, Brazilian police dismantle $9.7 billion crypto laundering rings, Brazil uses an artificial intelligence (AI) tool to detect tax fraud linked to cryptocurrency, and Latam’s neobank Nubank halts trading of its coin. Operation Niflheim:…
China is moving to update its legislation to tackle new money and cryptocurrency money laundering crimes. The Chinese Congress is set to introduce new money laundering concepts in the second review of the money laundering law draft revision, which will establish additional requirements for monitoring tech-related new money laundering risks. China to Address Crypto Money…
The Brazilian Federal Police dismantled an operation that used crypto to launder money from criminal sources, sending it abroad. Operation Niflheim involved the issuance of eight arrest warrants and 19 search and seizure orders against these groups that operated in Caxias do Sul, Sao Paulo, Fortaleza, and Brasilia. The criminals laundered over $9 billion since…
Ripple Labs’ Chief Legal Officer, Stuart Alderoty, has slammed U.S. regulators for unfairly targeting the cryptocurrency industry in money laundering investigations while allowing traditional banks to slip under the radar. In a recent X post, Alderoty pointed to the New York Federal Reserve’s reported role in enabling large-scale illicit transfers, including those tied to terrorist…
Web3 security firm Cyvers detected suspicious transactions on Indonesian exchange Indodax’s wallets on September 11th. The attack involved over 150 transactions and digital assets worth an estimated $20.58 million are believed to have been stolen. Some experts suspect the North Korean hacking group Lazarus Group may be responsible due to attack characteristics. Indodax Hack Shows…
Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong addressed concerns in Parliament regarding the risks of Worldcoin’s operations in Singapore, including potential money laundering through the sale of accounts. He emphasized that although Worldcoin does not perform a payment service under current laws, buying or selling accounts may constitute a violation. Investigations are ongoing, and the…
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has charged Olumide Osunkoya for operating unregistered crypto ATMs in the country. This case is significant as it represents the first prosecution under UK law for such activities. Osunkoya is accused of running a network of crypto ATMs that processed ÂŁ2.6 million in transactions without registration, violating anti-money laundering…
A law professor at the East China University of Political Science and Law has highlighted the urgent need for China to standardize procedures for recovering illicit digital assets due to a rise in cryptocurrency-related crimes. He stressed the lack of uniform standards complicates asset recovery and urged for comprehensive guidelines and international cooperation to manage…
A London resident has become the first person in the UK to be charged with operating a Bitcoin ATM without proper registration. Habibur Rahman, 37, of Langdon Crescent, East Ham, was arrested on April 28, 2023, following a raid by Kent Police at a gadget shop in Chatham. Medway Trader Faces Charges for Laundering ÂŁ300,000…
In a concerning trend, TRM Labs found that illicit activity at crypto ATMs is significantly higher than in the broader crypto industry. This has prompted law enforcement and regulators across the world to leverage blockchain intelligence to investigate fraud and financial crime involving these machines. Increasing Illicit Activity at Crypto ATMs According to the latest…
A Washington resident has been charged with involvement in a $64 million cryptocurrency laundering scheme. He allegedly deceived investors, posing as an escrow agent, and transferred funds into his accounts. The funds were moved offshore or converted to cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ethereum via exchanges like Gemini, Bitstamp, Coinbase, and Binance. Investigators traced the…
Telegram’s founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, is still in hot water in France, facing multiple criminal charges linked to activities on his messaging platform. The French court reportedly set his bail at €5 million, and he’s now prohibited from leaving the country. French Authorities Charge Telegram CEO Durov After Durov was taken into custody last…
A Russian cybercriminal, Deniss Zolotarjovs, has been charged in the U.S. with crimes related to his involvement in a cybercrime organization known for extorting victims and laundering cryptocurrency. The 33-year-old Moscow resident was indicted in Cincinnati, Ohio, on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, wire fraud, and Hobbs Act extortion. Arrested in Georgia in…
A Rhode Island resident has pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy linked to an international drug trafficking ring. The operation laundered over $25 million using cryptocurrency, with Villa directly involved in converting cash into crypto. Villa faces up to 20 years in prison and a significant fine. Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty in $25 Million…
Germany’s Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) has seized 13 unauthorized cryptocurrency ATMs in a nationwide operation involving 60 officers and raids on 35 locations. BaFin reported that the machines facilitated illegal transactions and posed money laundering risks. Under German law, trading currencies, including cryptocurrencies, without proper authorization is illegal, with violators facing up to five…
The Supreme People’s Court of China, the highest court of law in the country, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate have issued a joint document that interprets the current money laundering law and defines several issues related to its application. In this interpretation, the two organizations list virtual asset transactions as one of the tools available…
Roman Sterlingov is facing a potential 30-year prison sentence for BTC Fog’s money laundering charges.  Sterlingov’s lawyers argue that the recommended sentence is excessive compared to similar cases. Roman Sterlingov, the founder of Bitcoin Fog, a cryptocurrency mixer is challenging a potential 30-year prison sentence. It was followed by his conviction on multiple money laundering…