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Global Law Enforcement Agencies Dismantle Darknet Marketplace Monopoly Market, Arrest 288 and Seize $53.4 Million
3.5.2023
On May 2, 2023, Europol announced a collaborative effort between law enforcement agencies from the U.S., Europe, the U.K., and Brazil culminated in 288 arrests, along with the confiscation of 850 kg of illegal drugs, 117 firearms, and $53.4 million in cash and cryptocurrencies. This joint venture...
Bitzlato to Restore Operations and Withdrawals From Russia, Co-founder Vows
2.2.2023
Russia-linked cryptocurrency exchange Bitzlato, seized by Western law enforcement, plans to relaunch and permit partial withdrawals, a co-founder announced. Members of the trading platform’s team also intend to relocate the business to the Russian Federation. Co-Founder Says Exchange Will...
Bitzlato Executives Arrested in Europe, Exchange Laundered €1 Billion, Europol Says
24.1.2023
European law enforcement authorities have detained four more members of the executive team of crypto exchange Bitzlato, Europol announced. According to the police agency, nearly half of the funds processed through the platform were associated with various criminal activities. Bitzlato Senior...
Estonia, US Arrest 2 Suspects in $575 Million Crypto Fraud Scheme
23.11.2022
Law enforcement officers from Estonia and the United States have arrested two men for allegedly committing a large-scale cryptocurrency fraud. The Estonian nationals, who ran a crypto mining service and a fake virtual currency bank, laundered their proceeds, spent on cars and real estate,...
US Charges Russians, Venezuelans for Sanctions Evasion Using Cryptocurrency
20.10.2022
A group of Russian and Venezuelan nationals have been charged by U.S. authorities for their roles in a scheme to circumvent Western sanctions and launder money on a global scale. They have been accused of obtaining military technologies from American companies, smuggling oil, and disguising money...
Israel Arrests 3 in Crypto Scheme to Launder Millions Stolen From France
17.8.2022
Police in Israel have detained three suspects who allegedly laundered millions of euros stolen from the French treasury through cryptocurrency transactions. The money came from government grants for businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Israeli Law Enforcement Busts Money-Laundering Ring...
Another 6 Members of Finiko Crypto Pyramid Arrested in Russia
23.4.2022
Russian law enforcement authorities have detained six more members and executives of the notorious crypto Ponzi scheme Finiko. Police in the Republic of Tatarstan and Russia proper have conducted dozens of searches as part of an ongoing investigation into the pyramid, which defrauded investors...
Crypto Pyramid Busted in Russia, Losses Exceed $10 Million
24.3.2022
Russian law enforcement agencies have gone after the organizers of a large crypto pyramid which has been promising extraordinarily high returns. The Ponzi scheme is being unraveled after a similar project defrauded thousands of investors in Russia, the region, and far beyond. Police Find Crypto...
Russia Takes Down 4 Carding Sites With Over $260 Million in Crypto Turnover
12.2.2022
Law enforcement in Russia has blocked major sites on the dark web, including a carding market leader. The platforms have been seized amid ongoing investigations into hacking groups, with Russian authorities ramping up efforts to dismantle the cybercrime rings and detain their members. Interior...
Russia Busts Revil Ransomware Group on US Request, Arrests 14 Members
15.1.2022
Russian law enforcement agencies have dismantled the notorious hacking group Revil, believed to be behind ransomware attacks in the U.S. involving cryptocurrency. Although Moscow is unlikely to hand over Russian citizens to Washington, the operation has been carried out on request from the United...
FBI Works With Europol to Arrest Ransomware Gang, $1.3 Million in Cryptocurrencies Seized
6.10.2021
A coordinated strike involving Europol, Interpol, and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has led to the arrest of two “prolific” ransomware operators allegedly responsible for ransom demands of up to 70 million euros. In addition, $1.3 million in cryptocurrencies were...
Law Enforcement in Russia’s Samara Region Investigates 8 Cases of Fraud Related to Finiko
28.9.2021
The investigation into the Russia-based crypto pyramid Finiko is growing with law enforcement officials in Samara region announcing they have launched eight criminal cases against Finiko associates. Authorities are also working to identify more victims of the Ponzi scheme, Russia’s largest...
Russian Court Confirms Arrest Warrants for 3 Finiko Founders
20.9.2021
Tatarstan’s highest court has rejected appeals against arrest warrants issued for three co-founders of the notorious Finiko crypto pyramid. The top representatives of the Ponzi scheme, accused of large-scale fraud in Russia, are still hiding abroad, media reports reveal. Three Finiko Ponzi...
Russian Police Arrest 2 Women, High-Ranking Members of Finiko Crypto Pyramid
11.9.2021
Law enforcement in the Russian republic of Tatarstan have made new arrests in connection with the crypto Ponzi scheme Finiko. Two women detained this week are believed to have attracted millions of dollars to the pyramid. The now collapsed Finiko lured investors from a number of countries in...
Hong Kong Busts Money Laundering Ring Using Tether to Wash Millions
16.7.2021
Authorities in Hong Kong have arrested four people suspected of money laundering a total of $155 million through cryptocurrency wallets and bank accounts. The city’s customs agency said this was its first case in which virtual money had been used to launder dirty cash. Money Laundering...
Turkish Crypto Exchange Exit Scam: CEO Flees Country, 62 People Detained, Users Cannot Access $2 Billion of Funds
24.4.2021
A Turkish cryptocurrency exchange with about 400,000 users has been accused of pulling an exit scam. Its CEO has reportedly fled Turkey, allegedly taking $2 billion of customer funds with him. The police have an arrest warrant for the CEO and 62 people have already been detained in connection with...
Onchain Researchers Suspect Chinese Government Sold Plustoken’s Billion-Dollar Bitcoin Hoard Last Year
2.12.2020
A number of masterminds from the Plustoken scam were sentenced to 11 years in prison for defrauding cryptocurrency investors. Last week, on November 19, a court ruling had shown the Chinese government said that it seized over $4 billion in crypto assets from the Plustoken scam. Meanwhile, onchain...
Cloud Token and the Rise of MLM Crypto Projects
29.12.2019
Chinese law enforcement recently busted 72 individuals connected to the Cloud Token (CTO) scam. The Ponzi was similar to the Plustoken fraud and CTO scammers made off with $500 million. According to regional press, the CTO scam artists are likely connected to the Plustoken swindlers. Moreover...
Chinese Police Seize Thousands of Miners, Arrest Dozens of Scammers
25.12.2019
In the last couple of days, Chinese media have reported on police forces in one province of the vast Asian country seizing close to 7,000 mining rigs using stolen electricity and in another province arresting 72 multi-level marketing scheme operators for alleged fraud. Also Read: Chinese Regulators...
Bank Raided, Arrests Made but RBI Still Restricts Withdrawals
6.10.2019
The crisis has elevated at the cooperative bank recently placed under regulatory restrictions by India’s central bank. Multiple branches have been raided and several arrests were made. However, the RBI continues to impose a withdrawal limit, preventing bank customers from accessing their...