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Tornado Cash Adds Chainalysis Tool for Blocking OFAC-Sanctioned Wallets From Dapp
15.4.2022
The blockade only applies to the Tornado Cash front-end, not the underlying smart contract, one of the protocol's founders later tweeted
The Unnoticed OFAC Budget Ask in Last Week's Crypto Congressional Hearing
22.3.2022
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren wants to task the Biden administration and Treasury Department with monitoring crypto transactions for fear of sanctions violations. The two Treasury agencies that would do so might already have the authority they need – but not the money
Report: Illicit Crypto Addresses Received $14 Billion in 2021, Only 0.15% of Transaction Volume Associated With Crime
8.1.2022
According to the latest data from Chainalysis, the total cryptocurrency value received by illicit addresses grew to a new all-time high of $14 billion in 2021. Although the new all-time high is almost twice the $7.8 billion that was recorded in 2020, it represents just 0.15% of the 2021...
An African Perspective on Why the World Needs Cryptocurrencies
29.12.2021
Rising cryptocurrency use in Africa over the past few years has not only shown that digital currencies are now a vital means of moving funds across borders and between people, but that cryptocurrencies are also an important means of accessing global markets for the financially excluded....
US Treasury Sanctions 2nd Cryptocurrency Exchange, DOJ Seizes $6.1 Million
9.11.2021
The U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned a second cryptocurrency exchange “for facilitating financial transactions for ransomware actors.” Two ransomware operators have also been sanctioned and $6.1 million in funds were seized. US Treasury Sanctions Another Cryptocurrency Exchange...
Blacklisted Suex Addresses Received Over $900 Million in Crypto, Report Reveals
23.9.2021
Cryptocurrency addresses allegedly used by Russian exchange Suex, recently placed under U.S. sanctions, have received more than $934 million in crypto assets, blockchain analysis suggests. According to the Treasury Department, over 40% of the platform’s transactions involved criminal actors....
US Sanctions Russian Crypto Broker Suex for Laundering Millions in Illicit Funds
22.9.2021
The U.S. Treasury Department has blacklisted Suex, a cryptocurrency broker based in Russia, for its money laundering activities. The platform is suspected of processing hundreds of millions of dollars in crypto transactions related to scams, ransomware attacks, darknet markets, and the infamous...
US Regulators Have Imposed $2.5 Billion Penalties on Crypto Firms and Individuals
25.6.2021
A new report shows that U.S. regulators have imposed fines and penalties totaling $2.5 billion on crypto firms and individuals so far. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has imposed the most fines, followed by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Meanwhile, the U.S....
Binance Extends Blockade of Zimbabwean Crypto Users to Include Non-Resident Traders
3.6.2021
Malta-based cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, has reportedly extended its blockade of Zimbabwean users to include non-resident citizens. As a result of the new measures, all Zimbabwean nationals are now precluded from using the Binance trading platform. Zimbabwean Nationals Blocked Prior to...
Marathon’s Bitcoin Mining Pool Will ‘No Longer Filter Transactions’ — Marapool Begins Signaling for Taproot
1.6.2021
On Monday, the publicly-listed enterprise mining firm Marathon Digital Holdings announced the company has adopted the latest codebase offered by Bitcoin Core developers that features Taproot. Marathon is now signaling for Taproot according to the announcement. The North American bitcoin miner...
US sanctions agency OFAC to rely more heavily on Chainalysis
28.5.2021
Govt agencies want more tools to trace suspect crypto transactions
Marathon Mines First OFAC Compliant Bitcoin Block
7.5.2021
Marathon, one of the biggest bitcoin mining dedicated companies in the U.S. and Canada, has mined the first OFAC compliant bitcoin block, only accepting transactions that comply with the directives of this government office. This has caused a stir in libertarian circles, that argue this can be...
OFAC Escalates Russian Sanctions Listing Bitcoin Addresses, US Treasury Crypto Crackdown Rumors Spread
18.4.2021
Rumors concerning the U.S. Treasury cracking down on several financial institutions over money laundering has been spreading like wildfire on social media and forums. There’s been no formal announcement from the U.S. entity and at this stage, the news is widely considered FUD. However, some...
BitPay to Pay $500K to Settle OFAC Sanction Violation Charges
18.2.2021
BitPay is accused of facilitating over 2,100 transactions with individuals in sanctioned nations
183 Violations: US Government Fines Bitgo for Allowing Users to Bypass Sanctions With Cryptocurrency
1.1.2021
The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control has fined Bitgo for failing to prevent users in sanctioned countries from using its crypto wallet service. The agency says Bitgo processed 183 cryptocurrency transactions that were “apparent violations of multiple sanctions programs.”...
Virgil Griffith Still Doesn’t Know What Exact Crimes He Is Accused of, Attorneys Say
11.12.2020
Attorneys for Virgil Griffith want the U.S. government to specify the charges he’s facing, rather than a broad claim that he violated U.S. sanctions
A New Bitcoin Mining Pool Claims It Has Tools to Censor Blockchain Transactions
12.11.2020
A blockchain and technology company claims its new bitcoin mining pool is embedded with tools that enable the pool to censure transactions in the blocks they mine. According to a statement issued by the DMG, the parent company to Blockseer mining pool, this ability allows the latter...
Ethereum Dev Virgil Griffith’s Attorney Files Motion to Dismiss Charges of Aiding North Korea
26.10.2020
The motion, filed by Brian Klein, claims the indictment of Griffith doesn't "specify any alleged overt facts," and contains no actual allegation of fact
OFAC Warns That Firms Helping Victims With Ransomware Payouts Risk Violating Its Rules
5.10.2020
If you assist a ransomware victim in paying out to cyber attackers, you could end up facing civil penalties, OFAC says
OFAC Warns Americans Against Facilitating Ransomware Payments
5.10.2020
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) recently issued an advisory highlighting the sanctions risk American citizens face if they help facilitate ransomware payments. In the advisory, the OFAC says it will “continue to impose sanctions on those...