ChainCatcher news, Habibur Rahman, a resident of East Ham in London, denied the charges of operating an unlicensed cryptocurrency ATM business and laundering money through cryptocurrency transactions. Rahman appeared at Medway Magistrates' Court and pleaded not guilty to the charges of running illegal machines without authorization from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).Rahman is accused of exchanging £300,000 of illegal cash into cryptocurrency between April 1 and June 16, 2022. This was discovered after Kent Police searched a shop in Chatham on April 28, 2023, and seized several cryptocurrency ATM machines during the raid.The case has now been transferred to Maidstone Crown Court, with the next hearing scheduled for November 7. Police stated that Rahman's involvement in cryptocurrency trading not only violated financial regulations but also involved money laundering. He was granted bail after appearing in court and will await further developments in the coming weeks.

ChainCatcher news, the Brazilian Federal Police launched "Operation Alcacaria" this Wednesday, aimed at combating operators who provide money laundering services using cryptocurrencies. In addition, the police are tracking and investigating exchanges that collaborate with these operators to provide liquidity for their money laundering activities. However, the names of those involved have not yet been released.This operation issued 62 search warrants, 13 arrest warrants, and seized funds from the involved entities' banks.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, U.S. prosecutors are seeking an 18-month prison sentence for Heather Morgan (better known by her rapper name "Razzlekhan") for her involvement in laundering 120,000 bitcoins stolen from Bitfinex in a 2016 hack.It is reported that in August 2023, Morgan pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of conspiracy to commit fraud against the United States, each of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

ChainCatcher News: A darknet drug trafficking group in Texas, USA, has been sentenced for money laundering involving cryptocurrency, with six members receiving probationary sentences ranging from 24 to 84 months. The gang operated under the name "Loverbois," selling nearly 12 kilograms of methamphetamine and laundering up to $50,000 per month through cryptocurrency from July 2019 to December 2020.This ruling stems from a joint investigation by multiple agencies, including the FBI, DEA, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).

According to ChainCatcher news from the Yixiang Min'an public account, the Xiamen police Xiang'an branch, in conjunction with relevant police units, dismantled an underground money laundering gang that used Sifang payment for cash withdrawal. This gang operated in multiple locations across the country, advertising through chat software to find groups in need of "money laundering." They provided illegal fund payment and settlement services to overseas criminal groups through methods such as cashing out virtual currencies and matched betting, involving a huge amount of money.Currently, 9 criminal suspects have been subjected to criminal coercive measures for suspected illegal business operations and assisting information network criminal activities, and the case is under further investigation.

ChainCatcher news, a report from the United Nations shows that Telegram has become a haven for criminal networks in Southeast Asia, helping them to launder money using cryptocurrency, trade hacked data, and acquire fraud tools.The United Nations states that end-to-end encrypted applications have fundamentally changed the way organized crime operates. Criminal enterprises in Southeast Asia generate annual revenues between $27.4 billion and $36.5 billion.It has been reported that unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges are also advertising money laundering services on the app. An advertisement identified by the United Nations claims, "We transfer 3 million USDT stolen from overseas every day."Criminal networks use Telegram to trade stolen sensitive information, from credit details to passwords, and purchase malware designed to steal funds. At least 10 deepfake software providers have also been found promoting their services to criminals.

ChainCatcher news, the U.S. Attorney's Office stated in a release that Indiana man Evan Light pleaded guilty on Monday to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, and stole cryptocurrency worth over $37 million from nearly 600 victims.Court documents show that in February 2022, Light was involved in a cyber intrusion that targeted an investment holding company located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The documents also allege that Light was accused of stealing personal information, which he then used to steal assets from hundreds of victims.The statement said, "Under Light's control, the stolen cryptocurrency was subsequently transferred around the world, including to multiple mixing services and gambling websites, to conceal his identity and hide the virtual currency."

ChainCatcher news, according to the Sing Tao Daily, the Criminal Division of the Wong Tai Sin Police District in Hong Kong conducted an enforcement operation codenamed "Joint Fight" from September 19 to 26, successfully dismantling a group that used cryptocurrency for money laundering, arresting 25 individuals involved in 39 fraud cases, with losses exceeding 7 million HKD.The police stated that the 25 arrested individuals (18 men and 7 women, aged 19 to 65) included the mastermind of the group, three key members, and 21 puppet account holders. The police seized more than 20 electronic devices and two cryptocurrency cold wallets.The group had been operating since May 2023, using puppet information to open bank and cryptocurrency exchange accounts, obtaining funds through various types of scams, and converting the money into cryptocurrency via P2P transactions.The 39 fraud cases involved mainly online investment, job-seeking, and fake customer service scams, affecting 39 victims (23 men and 16 women, aged 19 to 72), with the largest single loss amounting to 1.6 million HKD.

ChainCatcher news, according to Decrypt, the U.S. Department of Justice has seized domain names associated with three cryptocurrency exchanges that are accused of facilitating illegal transactions worth over $800 million, as part of a coordinated crackdown on Russian money laundering activities.According to a statement, the Department of Justice, in collaboration with the Department of the Treasury, the Secret Service, and international law enforcement partners, announced the indictment of Russian citizen Sergey Ivanov. Ivanov, also known as "Taleon," is accused of operating several money laundering companies that provide services to cybercriminals, including ransomware organizations and darknet drug traffickers.Previous news reported that the U.S. government sanctioned two Russian cryptocurrency exchanges, PM2BTC and Cryptex, related to underground financial activities, as well as two individuals.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, the Swedish Police Authority and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) recently released a report classifying certain cryptocurrency exchanges as "Professional Money Launderers (PML)" and identified four typical money laundering patterns.The report categorizes these illegal exchanges into node trading providers, Hawala trading providers, asset trading providers, and platform trading providers. Node trading providers are deeply integrated into criminal networks, facilitating two-way transactions; Hawala trading providers are connected to underground banking systems, with extensive influence in the Middle East; asset trading providers systematically use crypto assets, with large transaction volumes; and platform trading providers operate on public P2P platforms, primarily serving small-scale drug buyers and fraudsters.The Swedish FIU emphasizes that these illegal cryptocurrency service providers represent an emerging money laundering threat and are crucial to the expansion of organized crime. Authorities are calling for strengthened regulation of cryptocurrency trading platforms while also recognizing the role of legitimate platforms in combating money laundering, urging them to closely monitor suspicious transaction patterns.

ChainCatcher news, according to reports from Heshun Public Security, the Criminal Investigation Team of Heshun County Public Security Bureau successfully dismantled a criminal gang that specialized in defrauding victims of funds, withdrawing cash, and laundering money using USDT after meticulous investigation.In early September 2024, a local resident Zhao was scammed out of 50,000 yuan by someone impersonating a government official, and the funds were directly withdrawn from a bank in Chongqing. The investigating police officers reviewed a large amount of bank surveillance footage and transaction records, discovering that the suspects used "clients" to purchase cars and apply for loans. After obtaining the "clients'" bank card information, they sent it to foreign scammers via Telegram. Once the victim's defrauded funds were transferred to the "client's" bank account, they falsely claimed to the "client" that cash needed to be withdrawn for the car dealership. After receiving the transferred scam funds from the "client," they immediately converted the involved funds into USDT and transferred them abroad. This gang is linked to over 10 cases in Beijing, Shanghai, Anhui, and other locations.With strong support from the Municipal Bureau's Criminal Investigation Team and the County Bureau's Cybersecurity Team, the investigating officers gradually grasped the complete structure and criminal evidence of the money laundering gang using USDT, and identified the characteristics and activity range of the suspect responsible for withdrawing the scam funds.The investigating officers simultaneously carried out arrest operations in Chongqing, Henan, and other locations, capturing 7 suspects, seizing one involved vehicle, 10 mobile phones, one cash detector, and over 37,000 yuan in cash. The case is still under further investigation.

ChainCatcher news, Argentine tax officials and naval security personnel conducted a joint operation to dismantle a large smuggling ring of Bitcoin mining equipment. In this "major operation," the Argentine Naval Prefecture (PNA) and the Federal Administration of Public Revenue (AFIP) carried out multiple raids, seizing hundreds of high-end mobile phones, graphics cards, and mining components.Officials revealed that the gang used "crypto investments" for money laundering and smuggled in cities such as Mar del Plata and Bahía Blanca. The operation seized over 30 million pesos (approximately 31,000 USD) and 19,000 USD in cash, with four suspects arrested and facing charges related to smuggling and money laundering.

ChainCatcher news, German authorities have shut down 47 cryptocurrency exchanges suspected of being involved in money laundering and other criminal activities, stating that these exchanges deliberately failed to fulfill their obligations to conduct identity and background checks on customers. Some of these exchanges include Xchange cash, 60cek, Baksman, and several other smaller platforms. One of the exchanges has been active since 2012, while others were established just the previous year.

ChainCatcher news, according to Decrypt, the Southern District Court of New York has denied Samourai Wallet founder Keonne Rodriguez's request to modify his bail conditions. The prosecution submitted Rodriguez's handwritten "escape preparation" notes as evidence, which detailed travel plans and emergency items. Rodriguez's lawyer argued that this was just a general emergency plan, but the prosecution believes it constitutes an active escape plan.ChainCatcher previously reported, according to The Block, that the co-founder of the crypto mixing service Samourai Wallet was arrested. Prosecutors stated that they are accused of laundering $100 million from Silk Road and other illegal markets. On Wednesday, Samourai CEO Keonne Rodriguez and CTO William Lonergan Hill were charged with operating Samourai Wallet.

ChainCatcher news, according to a briefing from the Hong Kong police, the Hong Kong police recently launched an enforcement operation codenamed "Double Gun," breaking up a money laundering group related to cryptocurrency in a commercial building in Tsuen Wan, arresting 3 men and 1 woman.The criminal group actively promoted through social media platforms, text messages, and mobile applications, offering enticing deals such as "new member registration discounts" or "cash in, cryptocurrency out." Investigations revealed that the group has collected over 600 million Hong Kong dollars in funds to date.

ChainCatcher news, the Nigerian government has filed criminal charges against four individuals and multiple companies, accusing them of illegally conducting cryptocurrency transactions without holding a banking license, including exchanging USDT for Naira.The four defendants are Ejiogu A. Chinedu, Nnamdi F. Okereke, Oty Ugochukwu Stanley, and Chukwuebuka F. Ogumba. They are charged with violating the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act and the Foreign Exchange Act.This case stems from an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into alleged manipulation of the Naira exchange rate and money laundering through virtual cryptocurrency trading platforms.Previous news, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has obtained court approval to freeze over $330,000 (5.486 billion Naira) of suspicious funds deposited in cryptocurrency users' bank accounts.

ChainCatcher news, the Brazilian Federal Police recently launched "Operation Nifheim," successfully dismantling three criminal organizations that used cryptocurrency for money laundering. The operation took place in Caxias do Sul, São Paulo, Fortaleza, and Brasília, resulting in the issuance of 8 arrest warrants and 19 search and seizure warrants.Since 2021, the involved gangs have laundered over $9.7 billion through cryptocurrency, with funds primarily sourced from drug trafficking and smuggling. The Brazilian Federal Court has frozen $1.58 billion in assets and seized multiple vehicles and real estate. Police revealed that these gangs used shell companies to conceal the source of funds, which were subsequently transferred to locations such as the United States, the UAE, Hong Kong, and China.

ChainCatcher news, the Singapore Parliament has passed the amendment to the Casino Control Act, aimed at further enhancing the effectiveness of the country's casino regulatory system and its protection for vulnerable groups. The government will empower the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) with more authority to oversee more forms of gambling activities within casinos, including betting and lotteries.The amendment covers digital currencies, with cryptocurrencies not being permitted by the GRA to be used as casino chips, primarily due to the risk of money laundering.

ChainCatcher news, eight members of a criminal gang involved in a Chinese phone scam in South Korea were arrested by the police for assisting in converting criminal proceeds into cryptocurrency. The police pointed out that the gang used fake bank accounts for money laundering, converting 280 million won (approximately 208,000 USD) defrauded from six victims into cryptocurrency, which was then handed over to a Chinese organization, earning a commission of 10% to 40%.It is reported that to avoid police investigation, the members of the organization only communicated through Telegram.