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Crypto Exchange Bkex Suspends Withdrawals Amid Money Laundering Incident
30.5.2023
Bkex, a crypto exchange based in the British Virgin Islands, has suspended withdrawals due to an allegation that a user’s “funds were involved in money laundering.” In order to assist law enforcement with their investigation and gather evidence, Bkex said it has decided to halt...
Crypto Exchange Hotbit Says ‘Deteriorating Conditions’ Forced It to Stop Operations
25.5.2023
China-headquartered cryptocurrency exchange, Hotbit, said on May 22 it had made the decision to halt “all cex operations.” The crypto exchange pointed to the “continuous outflows of funds from cex [centralized exchange] users” as one of the many factors that forced Hotbit...
Korean Crypto Exchanges Upbit, Bithumb Raided Over Lawmaker’s Crypto Dealings
17.5.2023
South Korean prosecutors have raided two of the country’s largest coin trading platforms within an investigation into the crypto investments of a politician. They seized materials from Upbit and Bithumb amid suspicions of wrongdoing related to the lawmaker’s cryptocurrency holdings. South Korean...
IRS, Chainalysis Helping Ukraine Track Russians Using Crypto to Evade Sanctions
14.5.2023
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said it’s working closely with Ukraine to help it trace crypto transactions of Russian sanctions evaders. The agency is providing the Ukrainians access to a Chainalysis tool as well as specialized training to Ukrainian law enforcement. IRS Offers Ukraine...
Philippines Law Enforcement Busts Crypto Scam Center, Over 1,000 Human Trafficking Victims Rescued
10.5.2023
Over 1,000 human trafficking victims were recently rescued from a “fraud factory” in Mabalacat, a town located nearly 90 kilometers northwest of Manila, Philippines law enforcement has said. Michelle Sabino from the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group said trafficking...
Syrian Crypto Dealer Freed From Kidnappers Who Demanded Ransom of Over $1.1 Million
8.5.2023
Spanish law enforcement recently nabbed three individuals who befriended and eventually kidnapped a Syrian cryptocurrency dealer. Following their arrest, the kidnappers, who were demanding a ransom of over $1.1 million, were found in possession of weapons and fake identity documents. Syrian Crypto...
Ukraine, US Shut Down 9 Cryptocurrency Exchanges
4.5.2023
Supported by U.S. law enforcement, police in Ukraine have disrupted a network of crypto exchange services suspected of laundering criminal proceeds. The platforms were allegedly processing dirty money obtained from ransomware attacks and various fraud schemes. Cyberpolice, US Investigators Bust...
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...
Report: Terraform Labs Co-Founder Do Kwon Charged by Montenegro Prosecutors
21.4.2023
Nearly a month after Do Kwon’s arrest by Montenegro law enforcement, local prosecutors have now indicted the co-founder and CEO of Terraform Labs. The decision to indict Kwon is likely to delay attempts to extradite him to South Korea and the United States where he faces several charges....
Fugitive Crypto Exchange Founder Faruk Ozer Extradited to Turkey
21.4.2023
Albania has extradited the founder of Turkish cryptocurrency exchange Thodex to his home country where he is charged with defrauding investors. The crypto entrepreneur disappeared after his trading platform unexpectedly went offline in the spring of 2021 and was arrested last year by Albanian...
Australian crypto scams increased by over 162% with nearly $150M lost
18.4.2023
While the total figures are “alarming,” crypto scams accounted for 7.1% of the total $2.08 billion stolen from Australians in 2022
Canadian Police Launch Cryptocurrency Investigations Center
18.4.2023
The police service of the Canadian city of Calgary is launching a Cryptocurrency Investigations Centre in partnership with blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis to help combat crypto crime. The center “will enable law enforcement to tackle crime that takes place using blockchain technology,”...
Police in Kosovo Seize Crypto Mining Rigs From Serbs
16.4.2023
Kosovo police have seized dozens of crypto mining devices from residents of a majority Serb region in the north of the country. Authorities in Pristina and Belgrade exchanged accusations over the move, which has the potential to raise tensions in the ethnically divided, partially recognized Balkan...
Russian Law Enforcement Prepares to Seize Crypto Assets, Seeks Permission to Set Up Wallets
9.4.2023
Russian investigators are pressing the parliament and government in Moscow for permission to open their own cryptocurrency wallets. This would allow law enforcement agencies to seize digital assets during criminal cases and eventually sell them, something that authorities in the United States...
Crypto Exchanges Must Share User Data With Russia, Prosecutor General Demands
9.4.2023
Digital asset exchanges must be obliged to provide user information to Russia’s law enforcement agencies, the country’s Prosecutor General has insisted. The circulation of cryptocurrencies in the Russian Federation needs to be regulated to counter money laundering, the official added....
Ukraine Dismantles $40 Million Russian Crypto Pyramid
6.4.2023
Ukrainian law enforcement has exposed a financial pyramid originating from Russia suspected of making millions of U.S. dollars. The scam convinced victims to send fiat money and cryptocurrency by promising profitable investments in big companies around the world. Large Crypto Pyramid Scheme With...
Seoul Takes Control Over $160 Million in Assets of Former Terraform Employees, Founder
5.4.2023
Authorities in South Korea have reportedly seized assets worth billions of won belonging to former representatives of Terraform Labs. The measure should prevent suspects in the case with the failed blockchain firm from selling property that may have been obtained with criminal proceeds. South...
Do Kwon’s Extradition Likely to Take Time, Montenegrin Prosecutor Says
28.3.2023
A prosecutor investigating Terraform Labs CEO Do Kwon for alleged passport forgery in Montenegro has indicated that he will not be extradited soon. The law enforcement official told South Korean media that Montenegrin authorities intend to indict Kwon within a month, ruling out the possibility...
US Seizes 18 Crypto ATMs Purchased Using Fraudulent SBA Loans — Arrests Owner
27.3.2023
U.S. law enforcement has seized 18 cryptocurrency ATMs that were purchased using fraudulent loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA) meant to assist small businesses financially harmed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The loans were also used to purchase bitcoin from a New York-based...
Crypto Exchange Bitzlato Restores User Access to Half of Bitcoin Balances, Report
22.3.2023
Bitzlato users can now partially withdraw their bitcoin funds from the dismantled cryptocurrency exchange, according to a media report. The Russia-linked trading platform was targeted by Western law enforcement and had its France-based server infrastructure seized in January. Bitzlato Customers...