AUSTRAC, Australia’s financial watchdog, has launched a task force focused on monitoring cryptocurrency ATM providers to ensure compliance with anti-money laundering laws. With an increase in scams and money laundering linked to crypto, AUSTRAC aims to enforce strict measures for the 1,200 operating crypto ATMs, making sure these machines are not used for illegal activities. ...
A Canadian financial firm has been identified as a key payment processor for many Russian cryptocurrency exchanges and cybercrime services targeting Russian-speaking users. An investigation revealed that this business operates from a Vancouver address shared by numerous other foreign currency dealers and money transfer services, raising concerns about legitimacy. Blockchain analyst Richard Sanders, who formerly ...
Aspiring rapper Heather Morgan, known as Razzlekhan, recently drew attention for her bizarre link to a £3.5 billion cryptocurrency heist. Initially perceived as an eccentric artist, Heather’s rap lyrics hinted at her involvement in illegal activities. Alongside her husband Ilya Lichtenstein, she was convicted of laundering stolen Bitcoin linked to the 2016 Bitfinex hack. Their ...
A man from Nebraska, Charles O. Parks III, pleaded guilty to a large-scale cryptojacking operation after his arrest in April. He rented cloud computing from two major providers, amassing a bill of $3.5 million while mining around $970,000 worth of cryptocurrency without ever paying. Parks used various aliases and created multiple accounts to access powerful ...
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has uncovered a significant money laundering operation linked to UK drug gangs during the pandemic. This complex scheme involved a Russian-speaking network based in Moscow that exchanged dirty cash for untraceable cryptocurrency. They facilitated the laundering of drug profits while also supporting Russian state espionage efforts. The operation has resulted ...
British law enforcement has uncovered a major Russian money laundering operation linked to drug trafficking, cybercrime, and Kremlin-associated activities. Dubbed Operation Destabilise, this investigation led by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) resulted in over 80 arrests worldwide and significant financial seizures totaling more than £20 million. Central to this network are two Moscow-based firms ...
The Central Bank of Brazil is taking steps to control the use of stablecoins, planning to prevent users from withdrawing them to self-custodial wallets. This measure is intended to manage financial operations involving digital assets and maintain the integrity of international capital flows. The bank’s proposal restricts stablecoin transfers between residents in scenarios where Brazilian ...
