Category: Law and Order

Judge Rules Denver Pastor Defrauded Investors in $3M Crypto Scheme A Denver pastor and his wife claimed prayer guided their crypto token, but a court found it had defrauded their church community. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Gemini, SEC Reach Resolution in ‘Principle’ in Two-Year-Old Court Case An update filed in a New York court marks how a resolution “in principle” has been reached in a case that has spanned over two years. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Fellowship PAC Launches With $100M to Advance Crypto Policy Goals The Fellowship PAC has filed with the FEC, touting a $100 million war chest to defend U.S. leadership in digital assets. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Coinbase Says SEC ‘Destroyed’ Gensler Texts, Demands Court Sanctions Coinbase is demanding penalties after the regulator lost nearly a year of text messages from former Chair Gary Gensler. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Belarus Banks Ordered to Adopt Crypto, Tokenization as Sanctions Squeeze Economy Belarus’ President has ordered commercial banks to expand digital assets in payments, as the country attempts to skirt Western restrictions. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

US Trustee Calls Out ‘Dishonest Debtor’ in $12.5M Crypto Bankruptcy Case Bankruptcy has offered no “safe harbor” for Nathan Fuller, as a Texas judge denied discharge in his $12.5M crypto scheme. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

California Man Sentenced in $37M Crypto Scam Amid Ongoing DOJ Crackdown Victims of the crypto scam were lured through messages and dating apps, then tricked into fake crypto investments. Jason Nelson Go to decrypt.co

US Lawmakers Seek Treasury Report on Feasibility, Security of Government-Held Bitcoin The House spending bill seeks to direct the Treasury to assess the feasibility and governance of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

SEC Watchdog Blames Tech Failures for Loss of Gary Gensler’s Texts in 2023 Nearly a year of former Chair Gary Gensler’s government texts were erased after a chain of avoidable IT decisions, the OIG said Wednesday. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

US Fed to Host Payments Innovation Conference on Crypto and AI The Fed is bringing stablecoins, tokenization, and AI for payment technologies into one conversation as policy in Washington begins to firm. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Bureaucratic Stalemate Keeps India on Sidelines as Stablecoin Race Heats Up in Asia Industry experts told Decrypt that bureaucratic confusion has stalled India’s crypto ambitions while neighboring countries forge ahead. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

SEC, CFTC-Registered Exchanges Receive Blessing to Facilitate Spot Crypto Trading A joint statement follows a report earlier this year by a President’s Working Group to provide “regulatory clarity” on certain assets. James Rubin Go to decrypt.co

Google Keeps Chrome as Judge Rejects Breakup: Here’s Why It Matters A U.S. judge has imposed remedies on Google over its search and data practices, in a subtle nod to AI’s growing role in competition. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Binance Taps Compliance Veteran for APAC Role as Australia Tightens Oversight Experts say the timing is strategic as Binance Australia faces an 18-day deadline to comply with the AUSTRAC audit order over AML failures. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Nike, StockX End Trademark Clash Over NFTs and Fake Shoes The settlement ends a three-year legal battle over sneaker NFTs designed to track ownership and counterfeit claims. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Bitcoin Home Invasion Ringleader Gets More Prison Time for Beating Witness A Florida man sentenced to 47 years in prison for orchestrating a string of violent home invasions got extra time for attacking a witness. André Beganski Go to decrypt.co

US and Dutch Authorities Take Down Crypto-Fueled Fake ID Marketplace The fake ID marketplace VerifTools allegedly sold fake documents for as little as $9 in cryptocurrency, authorities said. Simon Chandler Go to decrypt.co

Eliza Labs Sues X, Accuses Elon Musk’s Platform of Copying AI and Cutting Them Off The lawsuit claims that Elon Musk’s X used Eliza Labs’ data, then launched near-identical AI agents via xAI. Jason Nelson Go to decrypt.co

Philippine Senator Suggests Putting National Budget On-Chain Once formalized, the plan would build on the Philippines’ already existing blockchain platform for budget management. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

What a Digital Euro on Ethereum or Solana Means for Europe’s Monetary Sovereignty Europe’s push for a digital euro is colliding with U.S. stablecoin momentum, forcing policymakers to weigh the risks of public blockchains. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Brothers Seek to Block Google Search History in $25M Crypto Heist Case The defendants’ say searches for “top crypto lawyers” and “wire fraud statute” are protected by attorney-client privilege. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Philippines to Consider Strategic Bitcoin Reserve With 20-Year Lockup The bill proposes terms for how the country’s central bank could be tasked with buying Bitcoin and locking the holdings for two decades. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Criticizes France Over ‘Absurd’ 2024 Arrest Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, who was arrested last year, says he must return to France every 14 days with no appeal date in sight. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

The Creators of an Ethereum Gaming Network Just Sued Elon Musk’s xAI The company behind Ethereum network Xai claims confusion about the brands and controversies like Grok’s recent MechaHitler meltdown have inflicted immense harm on their brand. Sander Lutz Go to decrypt.co

CFTC Opens Next Phase of Crypto Sprint, Seeks Public Input on Broader Rules The CFTC is now into its third crypto sprint, widening its review beyond spot trading as it works with the SEC to shape U.S. crypto rules. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Crypto Scam Sites Make Up a Fifth of ASIC’s Two-Year Takedown ASIC is expanding its fraud crackdown, moving from website takedowns to social media ads as crypto scams remain a key source of losses. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Wall Street Trade Groups Call for Rethink of Basel Crypto Standards Capital rules need review as crypto risk management is now “more in line with traditional finance,” Decrypt was told. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

CFTC Wins Summary Judgment in $228M Crypto Ponzi Case The CFTC’s civil case ran alongside Eddy Alexandre’s 2023 criminal conviction and nine-year prison sentence. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

SEC Punts on Trump Media Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF Decision, Plus XRP and Dogecoin Funds The SEC has delayed decisions on several crypto ETFs, including one proposed by Donald Trump’s media company to track Bitcoin and Ethereum. James Rubin Go to decrypt.co

Why Digital Currency Group Is Suing Its Own Subsidiary Over $1.1 Billion Loan Digital Currency Group has sued its subsidiary, crypto lender Genesis, in the latest twist of a saga that’s been unfolding since 2022. Mathew Di Salvo Go to decrypt.co

Hong Kong’s SFC Orders Tighter Crypto Custody Standards Following Global Breaches The regulator is setting minimum custody standards for licensed virtual asset trading platforms, citing rising overseas security incidents. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

SEC Punts Decision Deadlines for Solana ETFs by Two Months The commission has exercised its final procedural extension for Solana ETF applications, citing the need for additional time to review. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Czech Police Detain Key Figure in Bitcoin Donation Scandal, Seize Assets Czech authorities have escalated a politically charged probe into a bitcoin donation that nearly toppled the government earlier this year. Sebastian Sinclair Go to decrypt.co

Former Pump.fun Employee Pleads Guilty, Awaits Sentencing for $2 Million Solana Theft Jarett Dunn pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position and transfer of criminal property for an attack on his former employer, Pump.fun. Ryan Gladwin Go to decrypt.co

Justin Sun Sues Bloomberg Over Plans to Publish ‘Confidential’ Crypto Holdings The lawsuit alleges publishing Sun’s crypto details would put him at “significant and imminent risk” of theft, hacking or kidnapping. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Google Confirms Non-Custodial Wallets Exempt From New Crypto App Rules on Play Store Google’s Play Store policy update for crypto apps sparked concerns over self-custodial wallets before the company said they were exempt. Liz Napolitano Go to decrypt.co

Family of Ex-OpenAI Researcher Turn to Crypto to Fund Disputed Death Probe Supporters of late AI critic Suchir Balaji have turned to crypto to back his family’s legal fight using Solana-based meme coins. Jason Nelson Go to decrypt.co

Wisconsin Democrats File Senate Companion Bill to Rein In Crypto Kiosks The measure mirrors an Assembly bill introduced last month and would impose licensing, and fee caps on crypto kiosks statewide. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Bo Hines to Leave White House Crypto Post, Eyes Turn to Successor As the Trump administration sharpens its crypto stance, Hines’ successor will need to align both on policy and politics, Decrypt was told. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Ethereum Foundation Pledges to Match $500K for Roman Storm’s Legal Defense Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm faces decades in prison if prosecutors retry deadlocked charges in a high-profile case. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Ex-SEC Chief of Staff Compares Liquid Staking to Lehman, Crypto Industry Fires Back Fischer’s claim that liquid staking could trigger a Lehman-style collapse sparked ire from crypto leaders, who say the risks are overstated. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Two California Men Charged With Illegally Exporting AI Chips to China Federal agents seized plans to skirt export laws using false documents and shipments to Singapore and Malaysia. Jason Nelson Go to decrypt.co

India Freezes Assets Linked to Man Jailed in US Over $20M Crypto Fraud Chirag Tomar, convicted in the U.S. for a $20M crypto scam using fake Coinbase websites, ran a phishing network targeting global victims. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

CFTC Seeks Feedback on Plan to List Spot Crypto on Registered Exchanges The CFTC is weighing a plan to let U.S. futures exchanges host spot crypto trading, but some warn it could trigger legal and regulatory risks. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Trump to Issue Executive Order Shielding Crypto Firms From Debanking: WSJ Trump is expected to sign an executive order targeting alleged debanking of crypto firms and conservative groups. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Hong Kong Kicks Off Stablecoin Licensing Regime With Eye on Global Hub Hong Kong’s new stablecoin licensing regime takes effect, tightening rules as the city vies for a global crypto edge. Callan Quinn Go to decrypt.co

Cboe BZX Seeks Regulatory Nod for Invesco Galaxy’s Solana ETF Cboe BZX filed to list a Solana ETF on Wednesday, advancing a second U.S. staking-enabled fund even as the SEC delays on similar products. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Privacy Takes Center Stage in Closing Arguments at Tornado Cash Developer Roman Storm’s Trial U.S. prosecutors argued that Tornado Cash’s emphasis on privacy wasn’t about protecting ordinary users, but about making “bags of money.” Liz Napolitano Go to decrypt.co

Chinese Exec Jailed for Laundering $19.5M Through Crypto Mixers, Exchanges Prosecutors say the former executive funneled company funds into crypto via false claims, with investigators tracing assets despite obfuscation tools. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

South Korea’s Ruling, Opposition Parties Clash Over Stablecoin Regulation South Korea’s rival stablecoin bills hint at a divide over regulation as the country seeks a stronger foothold in the global crypto market. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

ASIC Issues Warning Over Bitget’s ‘Unlicensed’ Crypto Futures Products in Australia ASIC has accused Bitget of targeting Australian investors with unlicensed crypto futures, marking its latest move to rein in platforms. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Wyoming’s Stablecoin Billed as Yield-Bearing Alternative to CBDC Control The Wyoming Stable Token is expected to debut next month, putting a publicly funded twist on the stablecoin sector. André Beganski Go to decrypt.co

DOJ Is Considering Charging Crypto VC Firm Dragonfly in Connection With Tornado Cash During Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm’s criminal trial on Friday, federal prosecutors revealed they are considering pursuing criminal charges against Dragonfly. Liz Napolitano Go to decrypt.co

Nigeria Invites Stablecoin Startups, a Year After Binance Crackdown Nigeria is open to stablecoin firms, signaling a shift over a year after a Binance crackdown shook the local crypto industry. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Arizona TikToker Sentenced for Aiding $17M North Korean IT Worker Scheme The Arizona woman helped North Korean operatives pose as U.S. IT workers and launder millions back to Pyongyang. Callan Quinn Go to decrypt.co

Trump’s Crypto Working Group Set to Deliver Report—What Experts Expect To See The report could recommend ways for the government to build a Bitcoin stockpile without using taxpayer funds, Decrypt was told. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Trump Bans ‘Woke AI’ From Federal Contracts in New Executive Order The order requires “ideological neutrality” and bans DEI-aligned large language models from government contracts. Callan Quinn Go to decrypt.co

Solana, Pump.fun Named in Amended RICO Suit Alleging $5.5B Meme Coin Gambling Scheme The class action alleges Pump.fun operated an unlicensed gambling platform, estimating billions in user losses with Solana-linked entities. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

‘Bizarre Situation’: SEC Halts Conversion for Another ETF Holding Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP The SEC has stepped in to pause Bitwise’s approved crypto ETF just hours after staff gave it the green light. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

DOJ Seeks to Return Millions in Crypto to Alleged Victims of $97M Oil and Gas Scheme Federal prosecutors say funds from a $97 million oil and gas scam were laundered through shell companies, crypto wallets, and exchanges. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

These US States Have Passed Bitcoin Reserve Laws New Hampshire, Arizona, and Texas have all pushed to enable their treasuries to hold Bitcoin. Others are trying and failing. Callan Quinn Go to decrypt.co

Thailand SEC Moves to Tighten ICO Rules With Investor Testing Mandates The Thai SEC said the proposal aims to reduce burdens on ICO portals and investors while aligning oversight with industry standards. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

California Sheriffs Believe 74-Year-Old’s Disappearance Linked to Son’s Crypto Fortune A man’s disappearance in California is being investigated as a possible crypto-related kidnapping, following a spate of “wrench attacks.” Stacy Elliott Go to decrypt.co

Trump Signs GENIUS Act Into Law, Ushering In Crypto’s Integration With US Economy President Trump signed the stablecoin bill at a flashy ceremony attended by industry leaders, just a day after the legislation was passed by Congress. Sander Lutz Go to decrypt.co

Ex-Rugby Player Sentenced For $900K Crypto Mining Ponzi Scheme Shane Moore targeted fellow rugby players with promises of 1% daily returns, then spent their money on luxury apartments and designer goods. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Trump Pushes House GOP to Revive Vote on Crypto Bills Trump should focus on building a national Bitcoin reserve instead of pushing stablecoin regulation, Decrypt was told. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Bitcoin Trading at Centre of High-Profile New Zealand Homicide Case Records show the New Zealand woman used fake crypto screenshots to convince her mother the investment had generated $160,000 profit. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Rep. Maxine Waters Opines on Upcoming US Crypto Bills: ‘I Told You So’ Rep. Maxine Waters has warned two pending crypto bills could gut consumer protections and hand more power to politically connected players. Callan Quinn Go to decrypt.co

One LA Sheriff’s Deputy Charged, Another Pleads Guilty in Crypto ‘Godfather’ Case The officers staged fake raids and used fraudulent warrants to track victims for “The Godfather’s” criminal enterprise, prosecutors alleged. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Tornado Cash’s Roman Storm Alleges DOJ Botched Key Telegram Evidence Storm’s legal counsel alleges prosecutors misattributed a journalist’s message and failed to disclose the mistake immediately. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

The SEC Chair Who Sued Ripple Is Now Prosecuting Roman Storm Jay Clayton, President Trump’s onetime SEC head, is now top prosecutor at the DOJ office set to take Roman Storm to trial on Monday. Sander Lutz Go to decrypt.co

House Democrats Struggle to Approach ‘Crypto Week’ With Unified Front Some Democrats are pledging to punish other party members who support what they see as “Trump’s crypto corruption.” Leadership has largely stayed out of the fight. Sander Lutz Go to decrypt.co

Florida AG Investigates Robinhood Over Crypto Pricing Claims Florida’s AG said Robinhood’s payment-for-order-flow model may mislead users by hiding true crypto costs behind marketing claims. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

SIM Swapper Who Stole $20 Million in Crypto Resentenced to 12 Years in Prison Truglia’s original 18-month term was dramatically increased after he failed to pay restitution to crypto investor Michael Terpin. Callan Quinn Go to decrypt.co

Judge Recommends Dropping Logan Paul’s Ex-Assistant From ‘CryptoZoo’ Lawsuit Logan Paul’s former assistant Danielle Strobel’s early token access and equity stake weren’t enough to establish jurisdiction, a judge found. Sebastian Sinclair Go to decrypt.co

Australia’s Tokenization Push Could Cement ‘Even Greater Financial Control’ Australia has approved 24 tokenized asset use cases under Project Acacia, enabling real-money trials across major banks and fintechs. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

New Zealand to Ban Crypto ATMs, Cap Transfers in AML Regime Shake-Up With 221 machines nationwide, New Zealand joins countries reining in crypto kiosks over rising financial crime concerns. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Shenzhen Warns of Stablecoin Scams as Neighboring Hong Kong Pushes Ahead Mainland officials have urged public caution amid a rise in crypto fraud as Hong Kong prepares to roll out rules for stablecoin issuers. Callan Quinn Go to decrypt.co

Sweden Orders Police to Increase Seizures of Criminal Crypto Profits Sweden’s Minister of Justice has called on the authorities to make greater use of forfeiture legislation to seize cryptocurrency. Simon Chandler Go to decrypt.co

UK and Singapore Forge New AI and Tokenization Pact in London Talks Officials are exploring cooperation in digital finance, ranging from asset tokenization to artificial intelligence. Callan Quinn Go to decrypt.co

Detroit Sues Crypto Real Estate Platform Over Safety, Health Violations The city alleges the asset tokenization platform left hundreds of properties in disrepair, even as it promised significant returns. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

House GOP Declares ‘Crypto Week’ to Advance Landmark Digital Asset Bills House Republicans are coordinating a legislative blitz to reshape U.S. crypto regulation and block future state-issued digital currencies. Jason Nelson Go to decrypt.co

Scammer Posed as Trump-Vance Official to Steal $250K in Crypto, DOJ Says The FBI has traced some of the stolen crypto through blockchain analytics and recovered over $40,000 with help from Tether. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Arizona Governor Yet Again Rejects Bitcoin Reserve Using Seized Crypto Mounting crypto-related vetoes point to the state’s cautious approach, but a future governor could hold an opposing view, Decrypt was told. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

OFAC Sanctions Russian Hosting Provider for Enabling Crypto Theft The U.S. Treasury has targeted a Russian firm linked to ransomware, infostealers, and darknet drug markets involving crypto. Callan Quinn Go to decrypt.co

Rex-Osprey Solana ETF to Debut ‘First-Ever’ US Crypto Fund With Staking Rex Shares and Osprey Funds is set to launch the first U.S. ETF offering direct Solana exposure with staking rewards. James Rubin Go to decrypt.co

DOJ Charge Fake North Korean Devs ‘Embedding’ In Crypto Startups Federal prosecutors claim DPRK agents infiltrated a blockchain startup under false identities, pushing code to drain funds. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co

Hong Kong’s Upcoming Stablecoin Rules to Shake Up US Dollar Dominance, Deter Bigger Players The city has aligned its fintech push with China’s de-dollarization efforts as new stablecoin laws take effect in August. Callan Quinn Go to decrypt.co

Bybit Ethereum Heist Propels Record $2.1 Billion in Crypto Stolen by Hackers So Far in 2025 Around 70% of the $2.1 billion in crypto stolen by hackers in the first six months of 2025 was traced back to North Korea, a new report says. Mathew Di Salvo Go to decrypt.co

Ripple to Drop Appeal in SEC Case Over XRP Sales, Ending Case ‘Once and for All’ Ripple says it’ll drop its appeal in the long-running SEC case over XRP sales, finally putting the legal battle to bed. Mathew Di Salvo,James Rubin Go to decrypt.co

Trump Blames Biden for Banks Blocking Crypto: ‘There Is a Lot of Debanking’ President Trump unloaded on the issue of crypto debanking Friday, but stopped short of committing to issuing an executive order on the subject. Sander Lutz Go to decrypt.co

Bitwise Dogecoin, Aptos ETF Filing Updates Suggest Path to Approvals: Analyst Amended Bitwise prospectuses for Dogecoin and Aptos ETFs are a good sign for their eventual approvals, a Bloomberg analyst told Decrypt. James Rubin Go to decrypt.co

ASIC Appoints Panel to Probe ASX Following Failed Blockchain Project The inquiry will assess the ASX’s governance, capability, and risk management frameworks across its group operations. Sebastian Sinclair Go to decrypt.co

Kraken Becomes Latest to Win a License Under Europe’s New Rules Approval from Ireland’s central bank gives Kraken the ability to operate across 27 EU states as it races to catch up to rival Coinbase. Callan Quinn Go to decrypt.co

US Housing Chief Orders Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac to Prepare for Crypto Assessment in Mortgages Under a directive from the FHFA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were ordered to prepare for crypto mortgage payments. Jason Nelson Go to decrypt.co

Solana, Pudgy Penguins ETF Filings Added to SEC’s Crypto To-Do List A proposal for a Solana ETF and a new fund tied to Pudgy Penguins tokens have joined a growing list of products offering crypto exposure. James Rubin Go to decrypt.co

Stablecoin Issuance Should Begin With Banks, Says BOK Official The Bank of Korea deputy governor said the move would create a “safety net” and reduce risks as the nation advances its crypto policies. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

Arizona House Clears Bitcoin Reserve Bill Funded by Seized Crypto The bill directs the first $300,000 from seized crypto to the Attorney General, with the remaining funds split between the state and reserve. Vismaya V Go to decrypt.co

US Housing Regulator to Study Crypto Holdings in Mortgage Qualification Process FHFA Director Bill Pulte, a longtime crypto supporter, said the agency will examine how digital assets factor into home loan qualification. Callan Quinn Go to decrypt.co

Israeli Man Accused of Spying for Iran in Exchange for Crypto A Tel Aviv resident allegedly photographed sensitive sites and received thousands in crypto, authorities say. Vince Dioquino Go to decrypt.co