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US and UK Agree to ‘Heighten the Focus on Illicit Use of Cryptocurrency’
22.11.2021
The U.S. and U.K. governments have “committed and agreed to heighten the focus on illicit use of cryptocurrency and ransomware,” the U.S. Department of Justice announced. According to the FBI, high crypto prices have partially made ransomware “incredibly lucrative for...
Kazakhstan Senate Adopts Legislation Subjecting Crypto Platforms to Financial Monitoring
8.11.2021
The Senate in Kazakhstan has approved amendments aimed at preventing the legalization of illicit funds which will affect companies dealing with digital assets, among others. The new legislation subjects crypto service providers to the country’s financial monitoring regime. Senators Back...
Ukraine Security Service Busts Criminal Group Selling Bitcoin-Stealing Malware
27.10.2021
Law enforcement authorities in Ukraine have exposed a crime ring specializing in cryptocurrency theft and laundering of illicit funds for hackers. The gang, which provided services to clients on the darknet, has been dismantled as a result of a joint operation carried out with the United States....
Joe Biden: US Bringing 30 Countries Together to Stop ‘Illicit Use of Cryptocurrency’
3.10.2021
President Joe Biden says that the U.S. will bring together 30 countries to stop “the illicit use of cryptocurrency.” The United States is “partnering closely with nations around the world” to respond to the cybersecurity threats, Biden further said. US Will Bring...
How Binance Helps Legal Authorities Take Down Cybercriminals Laundering Illicit Funds
30.9.2021
According to the latest UN statistics, global money laundering transactions reach up to $2 trillion a year. A small fraction of that huge amount passes through the digital assets ecosystem, and responsible actors in it are working to bring that down even more. As the world’s leading...
Bank of Russia Lists Crypto Companies Among Financial Pyramids
24.9.2021
The Central Bank of Russia has recently expanded its database of financial market players suspected of illicit activities. Several crypto companies have been added to the list along with entities bearing signs of Ponzi schemes, as well as illegal credit organizations and forex dealers. Central Bank...
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 Treasury Sanctions Crypto Exchange, Bitcoin Mining at Home + More News
21.9.2021
ilitating transactions involving illicit proceeds for at least eight ransomware variants - marking its first such move against a virtual currency exchange over ransomware activity. Some virtual curre
US Senator Requests Government Agencies Step Up Efforts to Prosecute Criminal Use of Cryptocurrencies
17.9.2021
U.S. Senator Margaret Hassan has requested that government agencies take “additional targeted steps to prevent and prosecute the use of cryptocurrency for criminal purposes.” She expressed her concern over “the rise in the use of cryptocurrency for criminal purposes.”...
South African Exchange Sets New Crypto Withdrawal Limits — Restrictions ‘a Deterrent for Illicit Actors’
9.9.2021
One of South Africa’s biggest cryptocurrency exchanges, Luno, has confirmed that it has started restricting withdrawals by clients. The exchange insists the limits are meant to “act as a deterrent for illicit actors moving large amounts of funds within the crypto ecosystem.”...
Eastern Europe Sends Over $800 Million in Crypto to Scams in Single Year, Report Reveals
2.9.2021
Of all funds sent to illicit cryptocurrency addresses from Eastern Europe, scams attract the greatest amount, according to a new report. In the past year alone, crypto addresses based in the region have sent the fraudulent schemes a staggering $815 million in crypto. Eastern Europe Leads by Volume...
Federal Reserve Bank President: Bitcoin Has No Legit Use Case — Crypto Is 95% Fraud, Hype, Noise, Confusion
19.8.2021
Minneapolis Federal Reserve President Neel Kashkari says crypto is “95% fraud, hype, noise, and confusion.” He added, “I’ve not seen any use case other than funding illicit activities like drugs and prostitution.” Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis’ President...
Russia to Track Crypto Transactions With Help From Sberbank-Owned Company
5.8.2021
The Federal Financial Monitoring Service of Russia is going to start tracking cryptocurrency transactions. The agency has already selected a contractor to develop the platform. The entity is affiliated with one of Russia’s largest financial institutions, Sberbank. Rosfinmonitoring to Keep...
Crypto Crime Falls in China, Surges in Hong Kong, Reports Reveal
5.8.2021
China’s cryptocurrency transactions related to criminal activities have decreased significantly over the past couple of years, a new report suggests. At the same time, its special administrative region of Hong Kong is seeing a spike in crypto-related crime this year, with authorities...
China crypto crime: Still ‘top ranked’ for illicit activity but crime is falling
4.8.2021
Chinese wallets both sent and received more than $2 billion worth of crypto associated with illicit activities between April 2019 and June 2021
Governments Need to Stop Dismissing Crypto as Illicit Payments and Reckless Speculation, Says El-Erian
2.8.2021
Mohamed El-Erian, an adviser to Allianz and Gramercy Funds Management, says that “The time has come for more western governments to stop dismissing the crypto revolution as some mix of illicit payments schemes and reckless financial speculation.” Western Governments Urged to Stop...
Irish Banks Hail EU’s ‘Radical’ Anti-Money Laundering Push
25.7.2021
Banks in Ireland have welcomed an upcoming reform of the European Union’s anti-money laundering regulations that will affect the crypto space. The Irish banking industry organization voiced support for the changes aimed at disrupting illicit transactions at the union level while calling them...
Darknet Update: Hydra Reigns, Monero Acceptance Climbs, Russian State Collusion Questioned
11.7.2021
At the end of 2020, darknet markets (DNM) set new records as marketplaces like White House and the Russian-language DNM Hydra led the pack. A report published on May 25, shows Hydra saw a 624% year-over-year growth rate in three years, and researchers estimate roughly 75% of illicit...
FinCEN Names Misuse of Cryptocurrencies a National Priority
4.7.2021
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has named “cybercrime, including relevant cybersecurity and virtual currency considerations” a national priority. In particular, the Treasury is concerned about the “misuse of virtual assets that exploits and undermines their...