ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria raided a cryptocurrency scam center in Lagos on December 10, arresting 792 suspects, including 148 Chinese citizens and 40 Filipino citizens.According to Ken Gamble, co-founder of the cybercrime investigation firm IFW Global, the scam gang offered Nigerian employees a monthly salary of $500 plus performance bonuses, which is 10 times the local minimum wage.

ChainCatcher news, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, Daren Li, a resident with dual citizenship of China and Saint Kitts and Nevis, has pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to commit money laundering for his involvement in a money laundering scheme related to a cryptocurrency investment scam that generated millions of dollars in proceeds. Daren Li and his co-conspirators used a network of shell companies and international bank accounts to launder over $73 million from victims of the cryptocurrency investment fraud. Daren Li is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3, 2025. Li faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.

ChainCatcher news, according to Caixin, Malaysian police recently cracked a kidnapping case involving Chinese citizens.The victims, a Chinese man and a local woman, were kidnapped after arriving in Malaysia in July. After their family paid a ransom of 1.2 million USD (approximately 8.62 million RMB) via virtual currency, the two victims were released. Police recovered about 373,000 USD (approximately 2.68 million RMB) in cash, as well as items worth about 700,000 USD (approximately 5.02 million RMB) including vehicles, watches, and jewelry.It is understood that the mastermind behind the case was the victims' private driver.

ChainCatcher news, the Libyan Attorney General's office announced on Friday that Libyan authorities have arrested 50 Chinese citizens suspected of participating in illegal cryptocurrency mining activities in the city of Zliten. The statement said that these detainees were engaged in illegal cryptocurrency mining activities in an abandoned iron factory on the western coast of Libya.Additionally, according to the Attorney General's office, 10 Chinese citizens were "caught in the act" and arrested in Misrata on Wednesday, with dozens of mining machines confiscated.Despite an official ban, Libya remains the country with the highest proportion of cryptocurrency mining in Africa, accounting for about 0.6% of global Bitcoin production in 2021. Libya has become an ideal location for cryptocurrency mining due to its low electricity costs, at just $0.004 per kilowatt-hour, which is about 40 times cheaper than in the United States.However, political instability has severely damaged Libya's power grid. Authorities are intensifying efforts to crack down on such activities and investigate other potential mining sites. (source link)