ChainCatcher news, the Vietnamese police have arrested four individuals involved in a cryptocurrency mining scam, who stole 4 billion Vietnamese dong (approximately $157,300) from over 200 victims.It is alleged that the suspects, led by Tran Minh Quang, developed a fraudulent cryptocurrency mining website called BitMiner, with a registered domain in Singapore. The gang promoted themselves as a cryptocurrency mining company based in Dubai and offered unrealistic investment returns.

ChainCatcher news, according to Tribune, a bizarre case has occurred in Pakistan where a cryptocurrency trader was kidnapped in a police car. It is reported that the cryptocurrency trader was abducted by five men in a police car and was forced at gunpoint to transfer $340,000 from his phone. The perpetrators claimed to be police officers, and the local police have filed a case regarding this matter and have handed it over to the Anti-Violence Crime Cell (AVCC) for further investigation.It is reported that the victim claimed the suspects had previously contacted him for a cryptocurrency transaction, but he refused. According to police sources, evidence related to the police phone and the involved officers has been collected.

ChainCatcher news, according to Phoenix News, the Hong Kong police recently dismantled a scam group that used deepfake technology to lure others into investing in virtual currencies through social media platforms, involving approximately 34 million HKD.The Hong Kong Police Commercial Crime Bureau arrested 31 individuals, aged between 20 and 34, some of whom claimed to be students and unemployed, based on intelligence last week in two industrial buildings in Kowloon Bay, related to the same scam group, and seized their pre-written "scripts." The group would recruit young people looking to "make quick money," training them to create accounts on dating platforms with fake identities, pretending to have good looks and a luxurious lifestyle, and getting to know individuals from overseas, including Taiwan and East Asia, chatting according to the "script." After understanding the other party's background, they would cater to their interests and develop into online lovers, even using deepfake technology for video calls, subsequently luring the other party to invest in virtual currencies, claiming substantial returns, and asking them to deposit into fake platforms. Once the group received the virtual currency, they would immediately transfer it away and cut off contact with the victims.Hong Kong Police Commercial Crime Bureau Acting Chief Superintendent Kong Hing-fun stated: "They rented two scam centers located next to each other in Kowloon Bay to disperse risks and increase confidentiality. Most importantly, we noticed that these two scam centers operated in two shifts, aiming to continuously attract more victims day and night. Never think that participating in some tasks of a criminal group is just a minor issue; even if you are only assigned to meet victims online without direct contact with virtual currency investment work, it is still illegal."The police stated that this scam group has been operating for at least a year, with criminal profits exceeding 34 million HKD. The mastermind of the scam group, the center's head, and key members, a total of five individuals, have been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering, and were brought to the Eastern Magistrates' Court on Monday.

ChainCatcher news, recently, the Yangpu police in Shanghai successfully solved a virtual currency contract trading fraud case after meticulous investigation, dismantling a fraud gang of 16 people, with an involved amount of over 300,000 yuan.During the interrogation, the suspects confessed to their criminal activities without hesitation. Based on the preliminary investigation, the special investigation team fully grasped the modus operandi of the criminal gang, which involved three individuals, Yang and Yu, posing as "investment masters" to infiltrate various virtual currency investment group chats, directing those interested in investing to a fabricated trading platform they set up. They exploited the victims' psychology of wanting to "make quick money" by inducing them to conduct multiple transactions to earn high fees. Subsequently, they misled the victims into raising their investment "profit and loss ratio," making them mistakenly believe that their investment failures were due to their own misjudgment of the market, thereby defrauding them of their money.Currently, Yang and Yu, along with 16 other suspects, have been subjected to criminal coercive measures by the Yangpu police for suspected fraud, and the case is under further investigation. (Xinmin Evening News)

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, the police department of Hanoi, Vietnam, has prevented 300 potential victims from investing in a meticulously designed cryptocurrency scam that has defrauded approximately 10 billion Vietnamese dong (about 1.17 million USD) from around 100 businesses and 400 individuals.It is reported that the Hanoi police have arrested individuals associated with Million Smiles Company, which orchestrated an illegal and fraudulent cryptocurrency investment scheme targeting Vietnamese citizens, promoting its internal cryptocurrency QFS (Quantum Financial System) and linking it to ancestral treasures and spiritual claims through deceptive advertising.

ChainCatcher news, according to a report by Hong Kong media Wen Wei Po, the Hong Kong police stated that they received over 3,400 cases related to cryptocurrency last year, with losses exceeding 4.3 billion HKD. In the first 10 months of this year, there have been more than 2,100 cases, with losses exceeding 3.1 billion HKD.Among the related cases, the single highest loss amount is approximately 1.6 billion HKD. Election Committee member and Legislative Councilor Wu Jietzhuang said that in addition to strengthening regulation and public education, the public should also increase their understanding of cryptocurrency, recognize investment risks, avoid being greedy for small gains, choose licensed trading platforms when investing, and act within their means.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk Japan, regarding the theft of 4,502.9 BTC from the cryptocurrency exchange DMM Bitcoin that occurred in May, the National Police Agency of Japan reported on December 24 that the incident was carried out by the Trader Traitor group, which is part of the North Korean hacker organization Lazarus Group.The National Police Agency of Japan stated that it will continue to work with the FBI, other U.S. government agencies, and international partners to investigate the illegal activities of North Korean hackers, including cybercrime and cryptocurrency theft incidents.Meanwhile, the National Police Agency of Japan, the Cabinet Cybersecurity Center, and the Financial Services Agency have released documents regarding the tactics and countermeasures of the attacking groups, urging cryptocurrency-related businesses to exercise caution. In response to this attack, DMM Bitcoin has decided to close its exchange. Assets and customer accounts will be transferred to SBIVC Trade, with the transition expected to be completed by March 2025.

ChainCatcher news, according to CCTV News, the National Investigation Division of the Korean National Police Agency announced on the 20th that it has investigated 9 individuals, including Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who acted in place of the President, for their participation in the State Council meetings before and after the emergency measures were implemented.The police stated that among the 12 individuals who attended the State Council meetings and accompanied the attendees, investigations were conducted on the other 9 individuals, excluding President Yoon Suk-yeol, former Minister of National Defense Kim Dong-kyun, and Minister of Unification Kim Yeon-chul.These 9 individuals include: Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok, Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae, former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Jeong Hwang-geun, Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyoo-hong, Minister of SMEs and Startups Lee Young-sook, and Director of the National Intelligence Service Park Ji-won.

ChainCatcher news, according to China National Radio, the Economic Investigation Team of the Public Security Bureau of Tie Dong District, Siping City, Jilin Province, China, successfully cracked a money laundering case involving a gang that used the virtual currency USDT to help financial fraud criminals transfer illicit funds. This was achieved through tracing the flow of funds and digging deep into clues during the investigation of a financial fraud crime. The criminal gang had clear divisions of labor and used various means to evade detection during their operations.Upon investigation: The suspect Liu, in collusion with Zhao, Wang, and others, from December 2023 to May 2024, knowingly assisted buyers whose funds were derived from financial fraud to profit from it. Liu first deceived others into providing their bank accounts under the pretense of needing them to process loans to prove repayment ability. The deceived bank accounts were then used to receive funds obtained from financial fraud. Liu subsequently instructed the involved parties to withdraw cash from the bank and hand it all over to Liu, who then transferred it to Zhao and Wang, who deposited the cash into their respective bank accounts. The two helped the financial fraud gang launder money by buying and selling "U coins" on digital currency trading platforms, profiting from the transactions. The gang laundered over 100,000 yuan in total.Currently, members of this money laundering criminal gang have been subjected to criminal coercive measures by the public security authorities, and the case is under further investigation.

ChainCatcher news, citing the local English news media "The International," reports that earlier this year, with the help of Europol, a 39-year-old suspect with a series of prior convictions was arrested in Milan, Italy. The suspect is reported to have been involved in a new variant of a "scam" scheme that traditionally uses counterfeit money to purchase luxury goods, such as expensive watches or gold. In this case, the victims gave the scammers cryptocurrency in exchange for counterfeit cash. The Vienna police refer to this variant as "Rip-Deal 2.0."The suspect was also found to be in possession of €200,000 in counterfeit cash. Gerald Goldnagl, the chief inspector of the Vienna division, stated, "These crimes are typically carried out by organized gangs from the Western Balkans."Detective Mario Kaintz noted that the gang's scamming tactics are "sophisticated." In some cases, "they make victims input passwords or 'seed phrases' for their cryptocurrency wallets, and sometimes they even use hidden cameras in the ceiling to spy on the victims' phone screens."

ChainCatcher news, according to Cryptonews, the Abkhazian police have recently intensified their crackdown on private crypto miners, seizing nearly 200 mining machines within four days. The Abkhazian State Security Service (SSS) conducted raids in cities such as Ochamchira and Sukhum from December 10 to 13, confiscating 194 mining machines. The Ministry of Internal Affairs also seized 10 mining machines from the Gudauta and Gagra districts.Timur Dzhindzholiya, head of Chernomorenergo, stated that despite the implementation of rolling blackouts, energy consumption has not decreased, indicating that crypto mining continues to consume a significant amount of electricity. On December 10, internet service providers suspended the network for seven hours in an attempt to alleviate the pressure of mining on the power grid. On December 11, the Inguri Hydroelectric Power Station was forced to shut down for 24 hours due to low water levels.In addition, Abkhazia's acting Prime Minister Bganba has called on the government to consider declaring a state of emergency in the energy sector.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jin10 citing South Korean media reports, the Chief of the Korean National Police Agency, Cho Ji-ho, and the Chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Kim Bong-jik, were formally detained on the evening of December 13.The Seoul Central District Court stated that there is a possibility that Cho Ji-ho and Kim Bong-jik may destroy evidence, and therefore issued a detention order.

ChainCatcher news, on the 13th, the South Korean police stated that they are discussing a forced investigation into President Yoon Suk-yeol, considering the seizure and search of his communication records and the presidential residence.The Special Investigation Team of the National Investigation Agency under the South Korean National Police Agency held a press conference that day, stating that the plan to seize and search the presidential residence located in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul is currently in the "discussion stage." The police are internally considering the seizure and search of Yoon Suk-yeol's communication records. On the 11th, the South Korean police had conducted a seizure and search of the presidential office, the South Korean National Police Agency, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and the National Assembly Guard. However, police investigators were obstructed by the security office when attempting to enter the presidential office, and after several hours of confrontation, they were unsuccessful. (Jinshi)

ChainCatcher news, according to Jin10 reports, the South Korean police, public prosecution office, and the Ministry of National Defense have jointly established an emergency martial law joint investigation headquarters.

ChainCatcher news, the National Investigation Headquarters Special Investigation Team of the Korean National Police Agency stated on December 10 local time that it has issued investigation requests to 11 individuals, including Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and other state councilors who attended the State Council meeting held before and after the announcement of the emergency martial law, as well as National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong. The Special Investigation Team indicated that an investigation has already been completed for one of the participants in the State Council meeting. If the remaining individuals refuse to accept the investigation, "legal procedures including compulsory investigation will be swiftly taken."It is understood that at the State Council meeting held before the announcement of the emergency martial law on the 3rd, most participants opposed the declaration of martial law. After the emergency martial law was lifted in the early hours of the 4th, the state councilors submitted their collective resignations on the morning of the 4th.

ChainCatcher news, according to Yonhap News Agency, the Special Investigation Team of the National Investigation Agency under the Korean National Police Agency, which is responsible for investigating the "12·3 Emergency Martial Law Incident," held a press conference on the 9th.The investigation team stated regarding the possibility of Yoon Suk-yeol being urgently detained that if the conditions are met, urgent detention can be carried out according to the law. However, it is necessary to consider whether the relevant conditions are satisfied. According to regulations, urgent detention can be implemented when a suspect is accused of crimes that could result in the death penalty, life imprisonment, or a long-term sentence of three years or more, and there is a suspicion of "fleeing or destroying evidence," but due to the urgency of the situation, there is not enough time to request a judge to issue a detention warrant.

ChainCatcher news, according to Jin10 reports, the National Investigation Agency of the Korean National Police Agency confiscated the mobile phones of three individuals, including Police Chief Jo Ji-ho, who were reported for allegedly committing "insurrection" on the 6th local time, and officially launched an investigation. The Security Investigation Team of the National Investigation Agency stated that Police Chief Jo Ji-ho, Seoul Police Chief Kim Bong-sik, and National Assembly Security Chief Muk Hyun-tae were reported for participating in the lockdown of the National Assembly after declaring a state of emergency on the 3rd of this month, thus their phones were confiscated for investigation.According to the National Investigation Agency, the police received four reports concerning these three individuals, alleging "insurrection," "rebellion," and "abuse of power." On the 6th, the Korean National Police Agency established a special investigation team consisting of more than 120 members regarding the emergency lockdown incident.

ChainCatcher news, the Secretary General of the National Assembly of Korea, Kim Min-ki, held a press conference on December 4 local time, expressing strong protest against the unconstitutional and illegal acts that occurred in the National Assembly building and the resulting damages.Kim Min-ki announced that starting from the 4th, access to the National Assembly building will be completely prohibited for personnel from the Ministry of National Defense and police. He stated, "This is an emergency measure to protect the personal safety of National Assembly members and ensure the functionality of the Assembly."Kim Min-ki mentioned that the National Assembly will "thoroughly assess the physical and other damages caused by this declaration of martial law" and will hold those responsible for illegal acts accountable. He also noted that, according to current information, this incident has resulted in injuries to National Assembly staff, and efforts are underway to accurately count the number of injuries and their severity. (Kim Ten)

ChainCatcher news, recently the Tianjin police disclosed a new type of scam involving "virtual currency investment and offline trading." The police found that the so-called "U coin" investment was just a facade, while the so-called "U merchants" were groups that helped the scammers transfer funds.Investigations revealed that since July this year, the criminal gang, under the guise of "U merchants," has committed more than 10 cases in Tianjin and surrounding provinces and cities, involving an amount of over 500,000 yuan. Currently, 4 members of the gang have been legally approved for arrest by the People's Procuratorate of Wuqing District, Tianjin.

ChainCatcher news, the police in Busan, South Korea, have arrested a group of scammers who operated a fraudulent investment group under the guise of cryptocurrency futures investment, promising high returns. On November 21, the police detained the main suspect A and 23 others on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes and the Act on the Prohibition of Similar Fundraising Activities.According to police investigations, from October last year to May this year, A and others set up fake investment websites, impersonated investment experts, and lured 134 victims into participating in the so-called "investment guidance group" through social media ads and text messages, promising capital protection and high returns, defrauding a total of about 6.5 billion won (approximately 4.65 million USD).