Tagged: illicit activities

February 24, 2022 @ 3:00 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

SlowMist notes that not too long ago, they had released an update in regards to the Bitfinex incident. The report from SlowMist had covered how the stolen funds had allegedly been laundered using a technique known as “peel chain.” The company reveals that they received… Read More

February 24, 2022 @ 8:28 am By Omar Faridi  |  

One positive development during the past year has been law enforcement’s “growing” ability to seize virtual currency from criminals, according to an extensive update from Chainalysis. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) seized $2.3 million in crypto from the DarkSide ransomware operators who were allegedly… Read More

February 14, 2022 @ 10:57 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Stephen Palley. Partner, Anderson Kill. Chair, Technology, Media & Distributed Systems Group, noted that an FBI agent once told (with “false modesty to be sure”) that their biggest breaks often “come not from law enforcement genius but from mistakes by their targets.” Palley further noted… Read More

November 1, 2021 @ 10:52 am By Omar Faridi  |  

UK-based Fintech firm Modulr notes that unless you’ve been living in a completely different digital dimension, you can’t have “failed to hear about the data breaches and high-profile phishing scams that have been hitting the recent headlines.” The team at Modulr writes in a blog… Read More

November 1, 2021 @ 10:24 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The inherent transparency of blockchains or distributed ledger tech (DLT) networks makes crypto-related investigations a lot easier for law enforcement agencies, when compared to financial investigations involving fiat currency. Blockchains or DLT networks serve as a permanent, publicly viewable ledger of almost all crypto transfers,… Read More

August 14, 2021 @ 1:15 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

A blockchain analytics tool has reportedly been introduced on the dark web, enabling Bitcoin or BTC addresses to be checked for “links to criminal activity.” Known as Antinalysis, it allows cryptocurrency launderers to test or determine whether their funds will be “identified as proceeds of… Read More

July 1, 2021 @ 10:27 am By Omar Faridi  |  

On June 30, 2021, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bureau of the US Department of the Treasury that collects and analyzes information about financial transactions in order to combat domestic and international money laundering, terrorist financing, and other financial crimes, issued its first… Read More

June 17, 2021 @ 4:00 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Since Bitcoin’s (BTC) launch back in 2009, virtual currency has managed to drive new markets, while spurring advancements in modern financial infrastructure. It has also led to innovative thinking in how to address the global economic requirements, the Chainalysis team writes in a blog post…. Read More

June 15, 2021 @ 2:14 am By Omar Faridi  |  

LexisNexis Risk Solutions, a global data and analytics firm, has published its annual True Cost of Financial Crime Compliance Global Report. The results shared in the new report have been prepared after conducting an extensive survey of 1,015 financial crime compliance decision-makers at established financial… Read More

May 2, 2021 @ 4:44 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Turkey has reportedly decided to add digital currency trading platforms to its list of companies that will come under the nation’s anti-money laundering (AML) and terrorism financing regulations. This, according to a presidential decree that was released on Saturday (May 1, 2021). The Official Gazette… Read More

March 17, 2021 @ 10:25 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Six New Hampshire residents are reportedly facing federal indictment because of an elaborate scheme that allowed people to exchange over $10 million for digital currencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). The US District Court indictment alleges that the co-conspirators had tricked or deceived financial… Read More

March 14, 2021 @ 6:56 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Earlier this year, the team at Elliptic, which works to assist with categorizing financial crime typologies while protecting legitimate crypto-asset users from illicit activities, had explained how proper and effective compliance can prevent (potential) money laundering activities using Bitcoin (BTC) or other digital currencies. Elliptic… Read More

March 14, 2021 @ 10:18 am By Omar Faridi  |  

A digital artwork piece by Beeple recently set auction records (on Thursday / March 11, 2021)  when it sold at Christie’s for $69 million. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is auctioning the NFT or non-fungible token for the first tweet ever, “just setting up my twttr,”… Read More

February 7, 2021 @ 10:53 am By Omar Faridi  |  

European online lender October recently alerted consumers about the money muling fraud. The company explained what usually takes place when bad actors carry out these fraudulent activities and shares tips to avoid getting scammed. October notes that if you’re being offered “opportunities” to make easy… Read More

January 26, 2021 @ 9:02 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Blockchain security firm CipherTrace notes that during her confirmation hearing on January 19, Dr. Janet Yellen, US President Joe Biden’s pick for Secretary of the Treasury, had said that “many” virtual currencies remain “a particular concern” when it comes to terrorism and criminal financing (and… Read More

September 21, 2020 @ 11:28 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Chainalysis, the leading blockchain analysis firm, has teamed up with the State of Wyoming’s Division of Banking, the banking regulator that’s tasked with the chartering and supervision of Wyoming state banks, trust companies, mortgage firms, money transmitters and other non-bank financial service providers. The State… Read More

September 15, 2020 @ 8:22 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an intergovernmental organization that develops policies to combat money laundering and terrorism financing, has released an updated report, titled, Virtual Assets Red Flag Indicators of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing. Published on September 14, 2020, the report notes that… Read More

September 14, 2020 @ 9:02 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Current Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) regulations state that it’s the responsibility of all financial service providers to accurately and promptly identify and report any suspicious or potentially fraudulent activity. This activity may be related to how criminals or bad actors exploit convertible virtual currencies… Read More

May 18, 2020 @ 11:04 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

A lawsuit was filed on May 16, 2020, against HDR Global Trading Ltd, the parent company of the Hong Kong-operated Bitcoin Mercantile Exchange (BitMEX), a leading digital currency derivatives exchange that averages billions of dollars worth of daily trading volume. The 106-page lawsuit has also… Read More

January 16, 2020 @ 9:58 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Chainalysis, a leading blockchain analytics and cybersecurity firm, revealed on January 15, 2020 that it had managed to trace $2.8 billion in Bitcoin (BTC) being transferred to criminals via cryptocurrency exchanges in 2019, with the vast majority of these transactions going through Binance and Huobi,… Read More