Category: Law and Order

Elliptic Flags Global Crypto Pivot as Banks, Stablecoins and Asian Hubs Take the Lead Elliptic noted a worldwide pivot toward innovation, highlighting U.S. shifts, stablecoin adoption, and APAC–Middle East regulatory momentum. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Bitcoin Exchange Paxful Agrees to Plead Guilty, Hit With $7.5 Million in Penalties Authorities say Paxful was used by money launderers and other criminals—and that the Bitcoin exchange knew about it. Andrew Hayward Go to decrypt.co

Rep. Keith Self Moves to ‘Fix the Bill’ With CBDC Ban Before Key Hearing The amendment follows Republican outcry over broken commitments to ban central bank digital currencies in the defense bill. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Teachers Union Urges Senate to Scrap Crypto Market Structure Bill The union urged lawmakers to abandon the draft, arguing it would erode securities protections and heighten risks for pension holders. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Ninth Defendant Pleads Guilty in $263M Crypto Social-Engineering Scheme Evan Tangeman acknowledged helping launder at least $3.5 million for the SE Enterprise group, along with turning stolen crypto into bulk cash. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Indiana Lawmaker Pushes for Bitcoin in Pensions, Crypto Payment Protections A lawmaker in Indiana introduced legislation that would broaden access to Bitcoin and crypto exposure for savers in the Midwestern state. André Beganski Go to decrypt.co

OpenAI Ordered to Hand Over 20M ChatGPT Logs in NYT Copyright Case A federal judge rejected OpenAI’s bid to limit discovery, directing the company to produce de-identified user logs central to the case. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

EU Opens Antitrust Probe Into Meta’s New AI Policy For WhatsApp The EU Commission’s probe excludes Italy, where the country’s competition authority is already pursuing separate proceedings against Meta. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Italy Launches ‘In-Depth’ Review of Crypto Risks Regulators launch probe months after Italy’s central bank warned that crypto’s mainstream integration poses systemic financial dangers. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Ukrainian Police Arrest Two in Alleged Crypto Extortion Murder Europe accounts for over 30% of nearly 70 wrench attacks documented this year as crypto-fueled violence surges across the continent. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Connecticut Orders Kalshi, Robinhood, and Crypto.com to Halt ‘Unlicensed’ Online Gambling State regulators have issued cease-and-desist letters alleging that the platforms offered illegal sports-event contracts to Connecticut users. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Justice Department Seizes Domain Linked to Burma-Based Crypto Scam Compound The U.S. seizure comes a day after a sanctioned Cambodian group shut branches and froze withdrawals under regulatory pressure. Jason Nelson Go to decrypt.co

Gunmen Steal $85,800 in Trinidad Crypto Ambush as Attacks on Holders Rise Armed robberies of crypto buyers are rising globally as criminals abandon digital hacks for brutal in-person confrontations. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

South Korean Police Officers Indicted in $186 Million Crypto-Laundering Case The two officers have been stripped of their positions following their arrest in connection with the crypto money-laundering scheme. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Interpol Elevates Scam-Compound Network to Global Threat as Crypto Fraud Spreads The aim is to confront global scam center systems that traffic workers, run large-scale online fraud, and channel billions through crypto. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Upbit Hack Attributed to North Korea’s Lazarus as Seoul Opens Probe: Report The breach has prompted a formal review of Upbit’s systems as regulators examine the Solana hot-wallet theft. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Australia Moves to Regulate Crypto Platforms Under New Consumer-Protection Law The new framework subjects exchanges and custody providers to financial services laws with ASIC as the primary regulator. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Global Exchanges Urge SEC to Curb Broad Crypto Exemptions, Warn on Tokenized Stock Risks The SEC is being warned not to let crypto firms bypass investor protection rules as it considers exemptive relief for tokenized stocks. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Bitcoin Depot Contests $18.5M Award as Subsidiary Faces Dual Legal Battles Cash Cloud’s bankruptcy case in Nevada cites similar claims mentioned in the Canada arbitral proceedings, according to Bitcoin Depot. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Binance Faces Fresh Lawsuit Over Alleged Hamas Transactions A court filing claims Binance’s structure and controls let users tied to U.S.-designated terrorist groups move funds through its exchange. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Japan’s FSA to Require Crypto Exchanges Hold Liability Reserves for Losses Relating to Hacks Japan is seeking to restore trust in crypto markets after a decade of security failures, from Mt. Gox to the recent DMM Bitcoin hack. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Bitcoin Heist: Family Members Waterboarded, Sexually Assaulted as Attackers Steal $1.6 Million Horrific details of a Bitcoin wrench attack in Canada were revealed, with victims held hostage, waterboarded, and sexually assaulted. Logan Hitchcock Go to decrypt.co

JPMorgan Chase Ends Banking Ties With Strike CEO, Rekindling Crypto Debanking Concerns JPMorgan Chase’s move has renewed scrutiny of alleged anti-crypto debanking despite a Trump order banning the practice. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Crypto Industry Makes Tax Policy Push With Private Dinner for Lawmakers A powerful nonprofit hosted a dinner with lawmakers this week focused on crypto taxes, while groups backing the nonprofit pushed the Trump administration on related policies. Sander Lutz Go to decrypt.co

Crypto Firms Push Trump to Direct Agencies on Stalled Regulatory Guidance Industry groups have urged Trump to use executive authority to speed crypto rules, saying agencies can offer clarity without Congress. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

UK Fraud Office Probes $28M Crypto Fund Collapse, Two Arrested The office has begun probing Basis Markets, a defunct crypto project accused of misappropriating investor funds. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Samourai Wallet CTO William Hill Sentenced to Four Years in Prison The developer will serve 48 months for running an unlicensed money transmitter, after his co-founder received five years earlier this month. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Hawk Tuah Girl Added to Solana Meme Coin Lawsuit—After She Cooperated With Law Firm After initially being left out, Haliey “Hawk Tuah” Welch has been named in a class action suit against the creators of the meme coin she promoted. Ryan Gladwin Go to decrypt.co

Man Who Went By ‘Shrek’ Pleads Guilty to Helping Steal $263 Million in Crypto Authorities say stolen money was spent on luxury goods and exotic cars. André Beganski Go to decrypt.co

‘Some Bad Shit. Very Bad’: Jeffrey Epstein Was Worried About Bitcoin and Crypto Taxes, Emails Reveal A year prior to his death, the sex offender attempted to influence the Trump administration’s crypto policy through Steve Bannon. Sander Lutz Go to decrypt.co

Judge Denies Apple, OpenAI Bid to Dismiss Elon Musk’s Antitrust Lawsuit The case will hinge on evidence of whether competitors are truly blocked from Apple’s iOS ecosystem, a legal expert told Decrypt. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Brazil Targets Illegal Bitcoin, Stablecoin Use Through New Proposals Brazil’s government and central bank are tightening rules on crypto use in targeting criminals. Mathew Di Salvo Go to decrypt.co

ChatGPT’s Use of Song Lyrics Violates Copyright, Munich Court Finds The decision against OpenAI could become a key test case for how AI training is treated under EU copyright laws. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Australia Warns Criminals Are Abusing National Cybercrime Platform to Drain Crypto Wallets Police have urged vigilance, saying Australians should “check for warning signs, and protect themselves from cybercrime.” Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Pro-XRP Lawyer John Deaton Is Running for Senate in Massachusetts—Again Crypto-focused lawyer John Deaton is taking on Democrat Ed Markey after losing by 20 points to industry foil Elizabeth Warren last year. Sander Lutz Go to decrypt.co

Senate Agriculture Leaders Push to Put Crypto Spot Trading Under CFTC Watch The bipartisan discussion draft mandates exchange oversight and wallet protections while deferring decisions on DeFi regulation. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Seoul Considers Sanctions on North Korea Following US Crypto Crackdown Vice Foreign Minister Kim Ji-na says South Korea could adjust its sanctions posture if needed, citing threats from North Korean crypto theft. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Appeals Court Rejects Prisoner’s Lawsuit Over Alleged $354M Bitcoin Loss The court said the man had waited too long to reclaim his Bitcoin fortune, which he says was on a now-destroyed hard drive. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Circle Updates Terms of Service to Allow ‘Legal’ Firearm Purchases With USDC The USDC policy reversal on firearm purchases suggests that “stablecoins are at the whims of politicians,” an industry expert told Decrypt. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Former Australian Rugby Star Arrested Over Alleged Crypto Theft Police have raided the former NRL star’s home, seizing devices for forensic examination in connection to an alleged $91,000 crypto theft. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Mamdani Wins NYC Mayor’s Race: Here’s What the Crypto Predictions Markets Foretold With just over half the votes, Mamdani becomes NYC’s next mayor after prediction markets and progressive groups rallied behind his campaign Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Inside the Deposition That Showed How OpenAI Nearly Destroyed Itself A 10-hour sworn testimony from OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever paints a picture of panic, unverified allegations, and governance failures. Jose Antonio Lanz Go to decrypt.co

US Prosecutors Seek Maximum Sentence for Samourai Wallet Developers Prosecutors allege the developers weren’t “mere bystanders,” but were instead actively soliciting criminals, while earning millions. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Trump Downplays Knowledge of Binance Chief After Pardon Linked to Family’s Crypto Dealings In a rare interview, Trump said he was told Changpeng Zhao was the victim of the Biden administration’s “witch hunt” against crypto. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

South Australia Rounds Up Another 55 Suspects After High Court Backs Encrypted-App Sting Authorities moved to the third phase of Operation Ironside, using AN0M intelligence to expand drug, weapons and laundering cases. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Criminal Crypto Use Is Becoming ‘Increasingly Sophisticated’, Says Europol EU law enforcement has pledged deeper cooperation and investment as criminals refine blockchain abuse tactics. Callan Quinn Go to decrypt.co

Court Denies Crypto Bank Custodia’s Bid to Pry Master Account From Unwilling Fed Custodia said it may request a rehearing on the matter, after a panel of judges ruled 2-1 to affirm a district court’s prior ruling denying the crypto bank Fed access. Sander Lutz Go to decrypt.co

European Central Bank to ‘Accelerate’ CBDC Plans, Eyeing 2029 Digital Euro Rollout Europe could see the digital euro issued continent-wide as early as 2029, after a potential CBDC pilot in mid-2027. Ryan Gladwin Go to decrypt.co

New York Court Extends Asset Freeze to Aid Singapore’s Multichain Liquidation A U.S. court is now handling claims tied to $63 million in frozen Multichain USDC as New York and Singapore coordinate. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Palantir Sues Ex-Engineers Over Plans to Launch ‘Copycat’ AI Startup Palantir’s lawsuit alleges the defendants downloaded sensitive client data days after resignation, then kept new roles secret for months. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Chinese Man Arrested in Bangkok Over Alleged $14M Crypto Ponzi Scheme Thai police discovered an illegal firearm during the raid as they work to extradite the suspect back to China for trial. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Australia’s Financial Regulator Flags Broader Oversight of Crypto Under Updated Guidance The final guidance expands last year’s draft, adding new examples and custody rules as ASIC shifts from proposals to enforceable oversight. Sebastian Sinclair Go to decrypt.co

Kalshi Sues New York Regulators After Crypto.com’s Nevada Loss By suing first, Kalshi controls the narrative to focus on federal preemption rather than contract legality, Decrypt was told. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Democrat Seeks Crypto Trading Ban for Politicians Following Binance Founder’s Pardon Democrat Ro Khanna called Trump’s pardon of Binance founder Zhao “blatant corruption” as he pushes to ban politicians from trading crypto. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

WazirX Barred from Redistributing XRP as Indian Court Affirms Crypto as Property The ruling defines crypto as property with fiduciary protections, preventing WazirX from diluting user holdings after a $234 million hack. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Microsoft Sued in Australia Over 365 Price Hikes Tied to AI Copilot Rollout The lawsuit claims Microsoft hid cheaper subscription plans from 2.7 million users after bundling AI tools and raising prices by up to 45%. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Trump Picks SEC Crypto Task Force’s Mike Selig to Run CFTC: Report Selig, chief counsel for the SEC’s pro-crypto task force, is the president’s latest choice to run the CFTC, according to a Bloomberg report. Sander Lutz Go to decrypt.co

Woman Repeatedly Warned by Canadian Exchange Not to Transfer Crypto, Gets Scammed Anyway Despite repeated warnings from crypto exchange NDAX Canada, the customer lost her life savings in Ethereum to a scam. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Man Earns $5.8K in Ethereum, Gets Three Years’ Probation A former engineer has pled guilty to using his former employer’s cloud servers to mine crypto, costing the company over $45,000 in fees. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Coinbase Tells US Treasury Old AML Rules Are ‘Broken,’ Pushes Tech Fixes for Crypto Crime Coinbase wants AI safe harbors, blockchain analytics recognition, and zero-knowledge proof adoption to replace outdated compliance systems. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Insider Testifies MIT Brothers Allegedly Planned $25M Crypto Heist for Months A former employee told jurors the brothers spent months preparing to exploit Ethereum’s blockchain in a 12-second operation dubbed “Omakase.” Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Beijing Halts Tech Giants’ Stablecoin Ambitions in Hong Kong: FT Mainland officials have paused efforts from two top tech companies to establish stablecoin businesses in Hong Kong. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Binance Cleared to Acquire Korean Crypto Exchange GOPAX South Korea has approved Binance’s acquisition of GOPAX, ending a two-year review and clearing the exchange to re-enter the Korean market. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

How Japan’s Crypto Insider Trading Ban Could Reshape Global Policy Tokyo’s legislative-first model creates a gravitational pull across Asia and beyond in a bid to clamp down on insider trading, observers say. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Announces Sweeping Powers to Curb Crypto ATMs The minister’s comments follow AUSTRAC findings that some high-value crypto ATM activity involved fraud and laundering schemes. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

‘Crypto King’ Kidnapper Pleads Guilty as Co-Defendants’ Trial Delayed The plea highlights how flaunting crypto wealth has made investors growing targets for violent crime in the last three years. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Stablecoin Issuers Race for US Bank Charters as Stripe’s Bridge Joins the Queue Bridge, Stripe’s stablecoin arm, has applied to the OCC for a national trust bank, joining four others vying for federal approval. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

California Governor Signs Law Protecting Unclaimed Crypto From Forced Liquidation The legislation ensures crypto remains in its native form rather than being converted to cash before transfer to state custody. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Bhutan to Anchor National Digital ID on Ethereum by Early 2026 The Himalayan kingdom is moving its digital ID system to Ethereum, extending its blockchain presence after launching Bitcoin mining and holding crypto in state reserves. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Class Action Alleges Microsoft Choked AI Supply to Lift ChatGPT Costs Microsoft is being accused of using cloud dominance to restrict AI compute, keeping ChatGPT costs artificially high for nearly three years. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

The Latest Nobel Peace Prize Winner Is a Bitcoin Supporter This year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, previously spoke about Bitcoin as resistance money. Mathew Di Salvo Go to decrypt.co

Is a Presidential Pardon in the Works for Binance Founder CZ? The Trump administration is reportedly weighing a pardon for Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, who served prison time after pleading guilty to a money laundering violation. Josh Quittner Go to decrypt.co

Kazakhstan Tightens Crypto Rules After Seizing $16.7M From Unlicensed Exchanges The country’s plans represent “one of the boldest experiments in tying physical identity to financial transparency,” Decrypt was told. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

SEC to Formalize Crypto ‘Innovation’ Exemptions: Here’s Why That Matters The regulator is developing a framework that could let crypto projects experiment under supervision instead of facing enforcement. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

India to Roll Out RBI-Linked Digital Currency Amid Dismissal of Crypto With ‘No Backing’ Experts say India is replacing its “tax-and-tolerate” stance with stricter oversight, favoring state-guaranteed digital currency. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Donald Trump and Bitcoin: From ‘Not a Fan’ to Crypto President President Trump used to slam Bitcoin as “a scam.” Now he’s back in the White House and making crypto moves for both himself and the U.S. Mathew Di Salvo Go to decrypt.co

Coinbase Applies for US Banking License, Joining Growing Pack of Crypto Firms Coinbase on Friday announced that it had filed for a National Trust Company Charter from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Mathew Di Salvo Go to decrypt.co

‘Nothing Illegal’: Creator of ICE Tracking App Plans Legal Action After Apple Removal Apple and Google pulled ICE tracking apps following pressure from the federal government. One developer plans to fight back. Jason Nelson Go to decrypt.co

New York Democratic Lawmakers Want Bitcoin Miners to Pay More Tax. Here’s Why Politicians have long slammed the amount of money Bitcoin miners use. Lawmakers now want to tax them for it. Mathew Di Salvo Go to decrypt.co

Senator Accuses Crypto Billionaire of Dodging Puerto Rico Tax Evasion Investigation Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) has gone public with allegations that Pantera Capital founder Dan Morehead is refusing to cooperate with a months-long tax evasion inquiry. Sander Lutz Go to decrypt.co

SEC No-Action Letter Creates Opening for More Firms to Serve as Crypto Custodians The clarification of the regulator’s stance creates a potential opening for a wider group of firms to serve as custodians for digital assets. James Rubin Go to decrypt.co

Ex-LA Sheriff’s Deputy Pleads Guilty to Extortion Scheme With ‘Crypto Godfather’ The former LA County deputy has admitted to conspiring with a self-styled “crypto godfather” to extort victims by staging false arrests. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Elon Musk’s xAI Sues OpenAI Again, This Time Over Alleged Trade Secret Theft The lawsuit alleges OpenAI orchestrated a “coordinated campaign” to steal xAI’s source code and data center secrets. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Korean Actor Hwang Jung-eum Gets Suspended Term In $3 Million Crypto Case The actor received a two-year suspended sentence after embezzling millions from her own agency to invest in crypto. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Regulators Eye Stock Jumps Before Corporate Crypto Buys: WSJ Regulators have pinged companies after unusual market moves before treasury disclosures, though no formal actions have been confirmed. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Ohio Moves to Accept Crypto Payments for State Fees The board’s decision follows months of preparation that began in April with LaRose and Treasurer Sprague’s initial proposal. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Kraken Donates $1M to Pro-Trump PAC to Support Crypto Privacy Rights Kraken co-CEO Arjun Sethi says the fight for crypto in the United States is “far from over,” as the exchange looks to back pro-crypto policy. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Thai Police Bust $15M Crypto Scam Ring Targeting Hundreds of Koreans The fraud ring likely have used “chain-hopping” and OTC networks to launder $15 million, an expert told Decrypt. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Ontario Kidnapper Who Demanded $1M Bitcoin Ransom Sentenced to 13 Years A Toronto-area abduction tied to a million-dollar Bitcoin demand ended with a 13-year prison term, while a co-accused minor awaits judgment. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Crypto.com Data Breach Linked to Scattered Spider Hacker Collective: Report The crypto platform has confirmed a limited breach following a report linked it to the Scattered Spider hacker group. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Canada Seizes $56M in Bitcoin, XRP and Other Crypto as It Shutters Exchange TradeOgre The Royal Canadian Mounted Police say the exchange failed to comply with money laundering regulations and also confiscated Ethereum and Litecoin, among other digital assets. Mathew Di Salvo Go to decrypt.co

EU Eyes Boost to Pensions, Crypto Oversight Before 2026 The EU is planning further oversight that could reach crypto as part of broader efforts to revive momentum in the Bloc’s capital markets. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Michigan Bitcoin Reserve Bill Moves Forward After Months of Delay The bill marks its first movement in seven months, a sign of broader momentum for state-level Bitcoin adoption that “can’t be contained.” Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

SEC Clears Path for ‘Waves’ of Crypto ETFs With New Listing Standards Generic rules for commodity trusts have been approved, opening a faster route for crypto ETFs beyond Bitcoin and Ether. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Australia’s Regulator Eases Rules on Stablecoin Intermediaries Australia’s ASIC signaled the relief could be extended to more issuers as additional stablecoins obtain AFS licences. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

CEO of ‘Textbook Ponzi’ Pleads Guilty in $200M Bitcoin Fraud Case Ramil Ventura Palafox admitted to defrauding more than 90,000 investors through a fake Bitcoin trading program. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co