🚀 TRM Labs:
2025 Crypto Crime Report — A Year of Evolving Threats and Tactical Shifts
Illicit crypto activity fell sharply in 2024 — down 24% to $45B — but threat actors didn’t slow down. TRM Labs’ 2025 Crypto Crime Report reveals how ransomware demands hit record highs, terrorist financing grew more sophisticated, and illicit drug sales surged beyond darknet markets.
Explore the global trends shaping crypto risk exposure and the tools needed to mitigate it. 👉 Read the full report!
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Texas Border Agents Seize Huge Haul of Sausages. Mexican bologna, made primarily from pork, has a distinctive flavor that resonates with consumers, especially those with ties to Mexican cuisine. Newsweek
Bipartisan senators introduce primary, secondary Russia sanctions Hill
Sinaloa cartel slapped with Trump admin sanctions in blow to drug empire Fox
Whiskey-Drinking Rocker Transforms Into West Africa’s Most Dangerous al Qaeda Leader WSJ
How to use Russia’s central bank assets for Ukraine Politico
Swiss Frozen Russian Asset Tally Jumps to $8.4 Billion Swissinfo
US sanctions 6 Chinese and Hong Kong officials over rights abuses AP
U.S. issues Iran-related sanctions against China, UAE-based entities Reuters
Investigating a Sprawling Money Laundering Network NYT
Trump to consider potential buyers of TikTok at Wednesday meeting USAT
Putting the Screws on the Partnership Between North Korea and Russia WOTR
Brazil prosecutors charge former Americanas executives with fraud Reuters
FinCEN Issues Advisory on the Financing of ISIS FinCEN
Hearing: Following the Money – Tools and Techniques to Combat Fraud US House
Serious Sanctions Time for Russia WSJ
U.K. Unveils New Rules to Monitor Those Working for Russian Govt AFP
China’s Tariff-Dodging Move to Mexico Looks Doomed WSJ
Russia tightens cybersecurity measures as financial fraud hits record high Record
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Brazil says Trafigura agreed to pay $76M to settle corruption case Reuters
Britain’s most dangerous gangsters Daily Mail
Top advisers to Netanyahu arrested in corruption case DW
Marine Le Pen’s conviction caused a political firestorm. Here’s what actually happened. Politico
‘Ndrangheta-Style Crime Network Busted in Germany, Italy OCCRP
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There’s More to North Korea’s Hacking Ops Than Just Lazarus Group Decrypt
Someone is trying to recruit security researchers in bizarre hacking campaign TechCrunch
North Korea tech workers found among staff at UK blockchain projects Cointelegraph
A shady, shuttered tech bootcamp may be sneaking back online Verge
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Jalisco cartel lures recruits with fake jobs through social platforms and kills those who resist AP
Lawyers press Trump to return wrongfully deported immigrant after ‘clerical error’ Independent
Outrage as US deports makeup artist to El Salvador prison for crown tattoos Guardian
Mexico president has more names of alleged drug traffickers for US extradition Reuters
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Kim Zetter / Brian Krebs / Nicole Perlroth /
Josh Rogin / Ellen Nakashima / Matt Levitt /
Clarissa Ward / Gary Kasparov / Joseph Cox / Mark Dubowitz
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya / Bill Browder / Jen Easterly /
Zack Kopplin / Laura Shin / Dmitri Alperovitch / Tom Keatinge
Catherine Belton / Nazanin Boniadi / Chris Krebs /
Kevin Hall / Farnaz Fassihi / Kevin Collier / Patrick Howell O’Neill /
Michael McFaul / Jonathan Schanzer / Catalin Cimpanu /
Liza Lin / Enes Kanter FREEDOM / Bianna Golodryga
Financial Action Task Force /
Egmont Group /
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project /
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists /
Money Laundering Watch/
C4ADS /
Combating Terrorism Center /
Royal United Services Institute /
Trump pardons three co-founders of BitMex crypto exchange. Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo and Samuel Reed previously pled guilty to a range of federal criminal charges related to money laundering and failure to police the exchange. CNBC
Charlie Javice Convicted of Defrauding JPMorgan Over Deal AP
FBI Seizes $200,000 in Crypto From Hamas-Linked Wallets, Accounts CoinDesk
U.S. sanctions Hezbollah sanctions evasion team Bloomberg
Inside the Law Firm That Decided to Fight Back Against Trump’s Attack WSJ
Jenner & Block, WilmerHale sue over Trump orders targeting law firms Hill
Russia and US discuss restarting Nord Stream pipelines Politico
Crypto Bill to Combat Illicit Activity Gets New Push After Passing U.S. House in 2024 CoinDesk
Iranian Oil Tankers Are Idling Off Malaysia With Millions of Barrels Stuck Regtechtimes
Mexico resort claims jailed Michigan couple ‘encouraged’ other guests to commit fraud amid timeshare dispute NYP
AG Bondi details arrest of top MS-13 leader who joined vicious gang in middle school Fox
Huawei corruption scandal: Police search European Parliament Strasbourg offices Politico
After years of survival, China’s Huawei returns to revenue peak Reuters
AI is making it easier to commit financial crimes, so the IRS is overhauling its tech after finding $21B in fraud AP
Nearly $13 million stolen from Abracadabra Finance in crypto heist. The crypto lending platform said the issue was sourced back to a product it calls “cauldrons” — isolated lending markets that allow users to borrow against a variety of cryptocurrencies. Record
Bessent opens door to Russian return to major international banking system Politico
There’s a right way to lift sanctions on Russia. Follow these Dos and Don’ts. Atlantic Council
The March Massacres Show That Syria Urgently Needs Solutions, Not Sanctions WOTR
U.S. gave Syria list of conditions for partial sanctions relief Reuters
Western Banks Sent Billions in Cash to Russia on Eve of Ukraine Invasion OCCRP
US adds Chinese tech firms to its export control list AP
Trump Takes Tough Approach to Choking Off China’s Access to U.S. Tech WSJ
Senate likely to send repeal of IRS DeFi broker rule to White House Axios
As Trump offers new nuclear talks, Iran weighs the cost of losing its final leverage CNN
U.S. Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint for $47M from Sale of 1M Barrels of Iranian Oil DOJ
Russian Explosive Makers Use Fertilizer Firms to Blunt Sanctions Bloomberg
U.S. slaps Iran-related sanctions on oil tankers, China ‘teapot’ refinery. China and Iran have built a trading system that uses mostly Chinese yuan and a network of middlemen, avoiding the dollar and exposure to U.S. regulators. Reuters
💸 Illicit Edge Originals: Sanctions & Economic Security with Juan Zarate Coercive Capital
Using Drones for Peeping, Burglaries On Rise: “It’s Gotten Dramatically Worse” Hollywood Reporter
Huge Ecosystem of Unregulated Payment Providers Helps Scammers Collect Victims’ Money OCCRP
💸 Illicit Edge Originals: Pig Butchering Uncovered with Erin West DESIGNATED
FinCEN Removes Beneficial Ownership Reporting Requirements for U.S. Companies and U.S. Persons, Sets New Deadlines for Foreign Companies FinCEN
Trump Has a China Trade War Weapon He Hasn’t Picked Up WSJ
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Putin Tests How Far Trump Will Go Against Europe on Sanctions Bloomberg
European leaders say now not the time to lift sanctions on Russia in clear message to Trump Politico
Russia remands billionaire Moshkovich in custody for two months Reuters
BlackRock sells Shanghai tower at 34% discount as it pulls back from China property SCMP
SiCarrier says its tools can help China make advanced chips Reuters
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Trump pardons founder of electric vehicle start-up Nikola, Trevor Milton AP
Morgan Stanley financial adviser sentenced for multi-million dollar fraud NBC
NY AG files $200M settlement with Galaxy Digital over LUNA Axios
‘Flying Lady’ owner gets 5 years for fraud involving Chicago party yacht with stripper pole Chicago Tribune
Cyprus says it will adopt FBI guidance on tackling financial crime and sanctions evasion Euro News
Whisky barrel scam cons victims out of life savings BBC
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SEC Officially Drops Cases Against Kraken, ConsenSys, and Cumberland DRW Decrypt
“Cops, AI, drug companies”: Who wants to buy your DNA from 23andme? Salon
Lazarus Group’s 2024 pause was repositioning for $1.4B Bybit hack Cointelegraph
Oracle Health breach compromises patient data at US hospitals Bleepingcomputer
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New regulation on money transfers will likely impact San Diego border region PBS
Trump asks Supreme Court for permission to resume deporting Venezuelan migrants under wartime law AP
‘Migrant influencer’ who urged other illegals to squat in US homes deported to Venezuela NYP
How a top Chinese AI model overcame US sanctions MIT
Taskforce on Public-Private Partnership in Fighting Financial Crime in Ukraine RUSI
The Digital Asset Ecosystem in El Salvador: Challenges and Risks to Countercheck Financial Global Financial Integrity
Money Laundering from Environmental Crime: Typologies and Trends in Countries in the Amazon Region Fact Coalition
INTERPOL Financial Fraud assessment: A global threat boosted by technology Interpol
Sanctions by the Numbers: Comparing the Trump and Biden Administrations’ Sanctions and Export Controls on China CNAS
The threats posed by the global shadow fleet—and how to stop it Atlantic Council
