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Learn how to detect, analyze, and disrupt the use of crypto in disinformation and other malign interference.

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🌎 Repeated Takes, Coaching on Lines: Inside Hamas’s Hostage Video Machine.  Former Oct. 7 hostages detail the efforts to get them on video, as Hamas raises its bet on psychological pressure. WSJ

🌎 ‘Everyone’s mad’: Inside crypto’s civil war over the 2024 elections.  Crypto players are at odds over how to influence races for the White House and Congress. Politico 

📕 Featured Report: Learn how to detect, analyze, and disrupt the use of crypto in disinformation and other malign interference. Chainalysis

🌎 Pontiff Plot: Terror plot to kill Pope Francis on visit to Indonesia uncovered as 7 suspects arrested after swearing ISIS allegiance. Sun 

🌎 Iraqi Banks Used U.S.-Created System to Funnel Funds to Iran.  NY Fed’s process to move Baghdad’s oil earnings lacked key AML safeguards, resulting in illicit transfers that financed terror groups for years. WSJ

🌎 Russia’s links with Iran are growing stronger – and Ukraine and the West will have to retaliate.  Western allies may retaliate with sanctions if Iran has provided Russia with ballistic weapons. Sky

🌎 How Telegram Became Criminals’ Favorite Marketplace.  Arrest of founder Pavel Durov has drawn fresh attention to how illicit actors use the app as a shop window to sell their wares. WSJ

🌎 When Students Become Terrorists.  The Weather Underground railed against the establishment. Today’s campus protesters are supported by it. Free Press 

🌎 Wynn Resorts paying $130M for letting illegal money reach gamblers at its Las Vegas casino.  Wynn said it severed ties with all people and businesses involved in what the government characterized as “convoluted transactions” overseas. AP

🌎 Inside Thailand’s $2B Scam Industry Targeting Americans.  In 2023, U.S. authorities issued a stark warning about the growing danger of Americans being trafficked into scam syndicates in Southeast Asia. Newsweek 

🌎 Philippines Arrests Duterte’s Pastor as Feud With Marcos Deepens.  The 74-year-old pastor has been on the FBI’s most wanted list for human trafficking and bulk cash smuggling. Bloomberg 

🌎 Hong Kong Poses Growing Risk for Business.  The Biden administration warned of the growing risks of doing business in Hong Kong, including from U.S. sanctions. WSJ 

🌎 Leader of ‘biggest art fraud in the world’ sentenced in Canada.  Prosecutors described David Voss as the leader of a forgery ring that created thousands of fake works by Norval Morrisseau. Art Newspaper

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RUSSIA

🇷🇺 Russia built covert trade channel with India Kyiv Post

🇷🇺 The sneaky way that Russia is still evading western sanctions Spectator

🇷🇺 Russia’s strategy to rely more on China’s yuan is backfiring Fortune

🇷🇺 Russian dark web marketplace admins indicted after arrest in Miami Record

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CHINA

🇨🇳 Chinese agent went undetected in New York state government for years.  Why? CNN

🇨🇳 Chinese legal community asks: where is the line on death penalty for corrupt officials? SCMP

🇨🇳 House tees up ‘China Week’ with floor votes aimed at combatting CCP espionage Fox

🇨🇳 Chinese State Banks Off-Load Russia Assets in Blow to Putin Newsweek

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CORRUPTION & FINANCIAL CRIME

💸 What Did the Biden Family’s Foreign Clients Get for their Money? WSJ

💸 Chicago never ready for reform Chicago Tribune

💸 Gangs Are Making Millions Helping Indians Cheat on Exams WSJ

💸 Campaign money? Bribes? Your utility rates may include some USAT

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CRYPTO & CYBER

🔐 The bitcoin ATM has emerged as one of cryptocurrency’s biggest threats CNBC

🔐 Tornado Cash Sees Resurgence With $50M Laundered This September BeInCrypto

🔐 Iranian-linked websites set up targeting U.S. minority, veteran voters Politico

🔐 Two Managers Of Crypto Platform OmegaPro Arrested In Turkey AFP

🔐 Treason in Taiwan paid in Tether, East’s crypto exchange resurgence Cointelegraph

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TRAFFICKING

🚚 NYC pols urge Kathy Hochul to temporarily waive ‘sanctuary’ laws over migrant ‘terror’ threat NYP

🚚 Trump’s claim terrorists are pouring over southern border does not stand up to scrutiny CNN

🚚 American Airlines ex-mechanic gets 9 years prison for smuggling cocaine hidden under cockpit Reuters

🚚 Mystery as 358 Migrants Claim Same California House as Residence Newsweek

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RESEARCH AND MULTIMEDIA

📘 Ecuador’s Risky War on Narcos New Yorker 

📘 New $72K Migrant Smuggling Routes to the U.S. Start With Charter Flights Reuters

📘 Money Laundering National Risk Assessment Singapore MAS

📘 A better anti-corruption machine Brookings

📘 Ransomware Victim Insights RUSI

📘 Standards and interoperability: The future of the global financial system Atlantic Council

📘 U.S. Foreign Extortion Prevention Act: New Tool in the Fight Against Global Corruption TI 

📘 How We Uncovered the Modus Operandi of Criminals Smuggling Illegal Gold out of Venezuela Pulitzer Center

📘 Illicit Drugs Are Undermining Pacific Security USIP

ILLICIT EDGE INSIGHTS

📌 China’s Oppression of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang

📌 How Are U.S. Financial Sanctions Developed?

📌 Top 10 Ways Iran Supports and Empowers Hamas

📌 Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Program: A Dangerous Evolution

📌 Top 10 Ways Money Launderers Are Caught Red-Handed 

📌 What are the Top 10 Books on Corruption, Kleptocracy, and Illicit Financing?

📌 What Are 10 Ways China Is Stealing Intellectual Property?

📌 These are Mexico’s Most Powerful Drug Cartels

📌 The Hypocrisy of Labeling Terrorists as ‘Militants’

📌 Sanctions and the IRGC: How Iran’s Paramilitary Group Profits from Economic Hardship

📌 What are the Arguments For and Against ESG?

VIDEOS

INFLUENCERS

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

RESOURCES

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 /

PODCASTS

🎙️ Conversation with an Exiled Venezuelan Opposition Leader Lawfare

🎙️ Hezbollah’s Secret Missile Cities, Russia Advances In Ukraine, & Hamas Chief Fears For Life President’s Daily Brief

🎙️ Fox News, defamation, and our new information reality Click Here

🎙️ Deep Cover: George Santos Pushkin

🎙️ Conversation with Former FATF President RUSI

🎙 ️The problem with the Nigerian economy has nothing to do with crypto Click Here

🎙 ️Crypto ATMs, a Senator Convicted, AUSTRAC Report, Timeshare Fraud, etc. AML Conversations

🎙 ️Sanctions and Russia’s Nuclear Diplomacy RUSI

🎙 ️Partnering with terrorists to fight terrorists Generation Jihad 

🎙 ️Allen Stanford: The Lord of the Lies Scamfluencers

IN OTHER NEWS

COMPLIANCE TOOLBOX

🔑 Cryptocurrency Regulation Tracker Atlantic Council

🔑 COMTRADE: Using Trade Data to Uncover Fraud and Smuggling OCCRP

🔑 2022 Rule of Law Index World Justice Project

🔑 Global Organized Crime Index Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

🔑 Anti-Corruption Helpdesk Transparency International

🔑 Flight Intelligence for Investigators Icarus Flights, C4ADS

🔑 Global Legislative Map: Violent Extremist and Terrorist-Related Online Content Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism

🔑 Basel AML Index Map Basel Institute on Governance

🔑 Scorched Earth: Using NASA Fire Data to Monitor War Zones Bellingcat