China Urged to Establish Unified Crypto Regulations for Seized Digital Assets

A law professor at the East China University of Political Science and Law has highlighted the urgent need for China to standardize procedures for recovering illicit digital assets due to a rise in cryptocurrency-related crimes. He stressed the lack of uniform standards complicates asset recovery and urged for comprehensive guidelines and international cooperation to manage … Read more

Washington Man Faces Charges in $64 Million Crypto Laundering Scheme

A Washington resident has been charged with involvement in a $64 million cryptocurrency laundering scheme. He allegedly deceived investors, posing as an escrow agent, and transferred funds into his accounts. The funds were moved offshore or converted to cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ethereum via exchanges like Gemini, Bitstamp, Coinbase, and Binance. Investigators traced the … Read more

France Charges Telegram’s Pavel Durov, Sets Bail at €5 Million

Telegram’s founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, is still in hot water in France, facing multiple criminal charges linked to activities on his messaging platform. The French court reportedly set his bail at €5 million, and he’s now prohibited from leaving the country. French Authorities Charge Telegram CEO Durov After Durov was taken into custody last … Read more

Russian Cybercriminal Extradited to US in Crypto Crime Case

A Russian cybercriminal, Deniss Zolotarjovs, has been charged in the U.S. with crimes related to his involvement in a cybercrime organization known for extorting victims and laundering cryptocurrency. The 33-year-old Moscow resident was indicted in Cincinnati, Ohio, on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, wire fraud, and Hobbs Act extortion. Arrested in Georgia in … Read more

Man Faces 20-Year Prison Sentence in Crypto Money Laundering Case

A Rhode Island resident has pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy linked to an international drug trafficking ring. The operation laundered over $25 million using cryptocurrency, with Villa directly involved in converting cash into crypto. Villa faces up to 20 years in prison and a significant fine. Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty in $25 Million … Read more

German Authority Seizes 13 Unauthorized Crypto ATMs

Germany’s Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) has seized 13 unauthorized cryptocurrency ATMs in a nationwide operation involving 60 officers and raids on 35 locations. BaFin reported that the machines facilitated illegal transactions and posed money laundering risks. Under German law, trading currencies, including cryptocurrencies, without proper authorization is illegal, with violators facing up to five … Read more

Highest Court of China Moves to List Virtual Asset Transactions as a Money-Laundering Tool

The Supreme People’s Court of China, the highest court of law in the country, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate have issued a joint document that interprets the current money laundering law and defines several issues related to its application. In this interpretation, the two organizations list virtual asset transactions as one of the tools available … Read more

Indian Authority Arrests Man in Crypto Extortion Case

A Gujarat-based man, Shailesh Babulal Bhatt, was arrested under the anti-money laundering law in connection with kidnapping and extortion cases, including a significant cryptocurrency-related crime exceeding Rs 1,200 crore ($144 million), according to the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Bhatt was taken into custody following a money-laundering probe initiated by the ED based on FIRs filed by … Read more