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☆ From $40 billion fraud to $4.5 billion settlement: Inside the latest crypto firm paying big bucks to end legal trouble
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-16 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

This week, a judge signed off on Do Kwon and his bankrupt Terraform Labs settling with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for $4.5 billion. This comes after a jury unanimously found Kwon and his company liable for securities fraud following less than two hours of deliberation. But investors piled in anyway, giving luna and UST a combined market value of almost $40 billion at one point. Terraform and Kwon fought our efforts to investigate – taking a fight over investigative subpoenas all the way to the Supreme Court. They are Caroline Ellison, the Alameda Research CEO who at one time dated Bankman-Fried; FTX engineering chief Nishad Singh; and Gary Wang, the co-founder and chief technology officer of FTX.

Persons: Kwon, Woohae Cho, Sam Bankman, Changpeng Zhao, Luna, atoning, Alex Mashinsky, Wall, Stevo Vasiljevic, Reuters Kwon, He's, Satoshi Nakamoto, Elon Musk, Mike Novogratz, Gary Gensler, –, Fried, Fatih Aktas, Lewis Kaplan, Kaplan, Bankman, convicting, Prosecutors, Ryan Salame, Caroline Ellison, Nishad Singh, Gary Wang, FTX, Jason Redmond, Zhao, Richard Jones, …, Binance, Justin Sullivan Organizations: Terraform Labs, Bloomberg, Getty, U.S, Forbes, Arrows Capital, Voyager, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Labs, U.S . Justice Department, Futures Trading Commission, Treasury Department, bitcoin, BlackRock, Fidelity, Reuters, terraUSD, UST, Traders, Twitter, SEC, Supreme, Anadolu Agency, Alameda Research, ., Republicans, Bankman, AFP, of Prisons, District, Bank, DOJ, CFTC, Treasury, Binance, New, Commercial Bank Locations: U.S, Balkans, Podgorica, Montenegro, Singapore, Dubai, Serbia, Balkan, South Korea, United States, lockstep, New York, Manhattan, Seattle, Lompoc , California, Binance

☆ Montenegro court approves extradition of 'cryptocurrency king' Do Kwon
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Do Kwon, the cryptocurrency entrepreneur, who created the failed Terra (UST) stablecoin, is taken to court in Podgorica, Montenegro, March 24, 2023. The decision will be made after Do Kwon completes serving his prison sentence for document forgery, the court said. A South Korean national, Kwon is the former CEO of South Korea-based Terraform Labs, the company behind the stablecoin TerraUSD that collapsed in May 2022, roiling cryptocurrency markets. Following Kwon's arrest, the U.S. District Court in Manhattan made public an eight-count indictment against him for securities fraud, wire fraud, commodities fraud and conspiracy. In late May, a Montenegrin court scrapped a bail of 800,000 euros for the pair, saying it could not be taken as a solid guarantee, nor their promise they would not run away once released from detention.

Persons: Kwon, Stevo, Do Kwon, Kwon ´, Han Chang, joon, Daria Sito, Mark Potter Organizations: UST, REUTERS, Rights, Police, Terraform Labs, Court, Korean, Labs, U.S, Thomson Locations: Podgorica, Montenegro, Rights SARAJEVO, South Korea, United States, U.S, Rican, Montenegrin, Dubai, Manhattan

☆ Montenegro votes in new government with Milojko Spajic prime minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Members of 44th Montenegrin government pose for a family photo in front of the parliament in Podgorica, Montenegro, October 31, 2023. The new government, led by economist Milojko Spajic of the Europe Now Movement, will have 18 ministries and five deputy-prime ministers. It will include the centre-right pro-European Democrats, the pro-Serbian Socialist People's Party and five parties of the Albanian minority. Montenegro joined NATO in 2017, a year after a botched coup attempt that the then government blamed on Russian agents and Serbian nationalists. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, Montenegro, unlike Serbia, joined EU sanctions against Moscow, sent aid to Ukraine and expelled a number of Russian diplomats.

Persons: Stevo, Milojko Spajic, Spajic, Andrija Mandic, Aleksandar Vasovic, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, European Union, European Democrats, Serbian Socialist People's Party, NATO, World Bank, EU, Moscow, Thomson Locations: Montenegrin, Podgorica, Montenegro, Rights PODGORICA, Europe, Serbian, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Inside, with speeches and machinations and carefully deployed elbows, those who administer the world persist in their search for the elusive path to peace. “Bring lasting peace,” said Pravind Jugnauth, prime minister of Mauritius. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim spoke of “the imperative to make peace." In July, visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the North Lawn, adjacent to the wooded area, to perform yoga poses as part of his visit. But for one tranquil moment, for one brief respite from the world's most high-stakes conversations, that's more than sufficient.

Persons: ”, Said, Pravind Jugnauth, Anwar Ibrahim, Pendarovski, Siaosi Sovaleni, “, Narendra Modi, Ukraine —, It's, Ted Anthony, General Assembly's Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, United Nations, Hall, New, Malaysian, Indian, —, Associated Press Locations: Manhattan, New York City, Queens, United, Mauritius, North Macedonia, Tonga, India, Pakistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Ukraine, East

☆ Montenegrins vie for record in lying down contest
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Participants lay inside a hut, as they participate in a satirical contest to mock a popular myth that labels Montenegrins as lazy people, in the village of Brezna, Pluzine, Montenegro, September 6, 2023. REUTERS/Stevo Vasiljevic Acquire Licensing RightsBREZNA, Montenegro, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Seven competitors lying down on mats are vying for the coveted title of "Laziest Citizen" after smashing the previous record in a satirical contest held annually in a holiday resort in northern Montenegro. A lying down record of 117 hours was set at last year's contest in the resort village of Brezna, but as this year's competition entered a 20th day on Thursday, the remaining contestants said they were determined to keep going. She said the seven remaining contestants from a starting field of 21 had been lying down for 463 hours so far. ($1 = 0.9338 euros)Reporting by Stevo Vasiljevic and Aleksandar Vasovic Editing by Helen PopperOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Stevo, Dubravka Aksic, Radonja Blagojevic, Filip Knezevic, Stevo Vasiljevic, Aleksandar Vasovic, Helen Popper Our Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Brezna, Pluzine, Montenegro, Mojkovac

☆ Lying down contest enters 20th day as competitors vie for ‘laziest citizen’ record
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Brezna, Montenegro Reuters —Seven competitors lying down on mats are vying for the coveted title of “Laziest Citizen” after smashing the previous record in a satirical contest held annually in a holiday resort in northern Montenegro. A lying down record of 117 hours was set at last year’s contest in the resort village of Brezna, but as this year’s competition entered a 20th day on Thursday, the remaining contestants said they were determined to keep going. She said the seven remaining contestants from a starting field of 21 had been lying down for 463 hours so far. Participants use their phones inside a hut, during a satirical contest to mock a popular myth that labels Montenegrins as lazy. “We have everything we need here, company is fantastic, time goes by quickly,” he said.

Persons: ”, Dubravka Aksic, Radonja Blagojevic, Vasiljevic, Filip Knezevic, “ Organizations: Montenegro Reuters — Locations: Brezna, Montenegro, Laziest, Mojkovac

☆ Montenegro holds parliamentary vote to secure reforms, EU path
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The parliamentary vote is the first in the small former Yugoslav republic since Milo Djukanovic, former leader of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), lost the presidential election in April and stepped down after 30 years in power. Polling stations for the 540,000-strong electorate open at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) and close at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT). The state election commission said 15 parties and alliances will compete for 81 parliamentary seats in the nation of just over 620,000 people. Montenegro is a candidate to join the EU, but it must first root out corruption, nepotism and organised crime. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, Montenegro - unlike Serbia - joined EU sanctions against Moscow.

Persons: Djukanovic, Milo Djukanovic, Jakov Milatovic, Milojko Spajic, Danijel Zivkovic, Zivkovic, Moscow, Aleksandar Vasovic, Stevo, Helen Popper Our Organizations: PODGORICA, NATO, European Union, Democratic Party of Socialists, Centre for Democracy, Human, European, Finance, EU DPS, Russia Democratic Front, Serbian Orthodox, EU, Serbian, Moscow, Thomson Locations: Yugoslav, EU, Montenegro, Serbia, Serbian, Ukraine, Belgrade, Podgorica

[1/4] A taxi waits for pedestrians at a street crossing under a pre-election billboard of candidate Jakov Milatovic in Podgorica, Montenegro, March 30, 2023. Montenegro, whose economy relies on tourism generated by its scenic mountains and seaside, ditched a state union with much larger Serbia in 2006 and declared independence. A row between lawmakers and Djukanovic over his refusal to name a new prime minister deepened the political paralysis. "I am here to lead Montenegro to success because for too long we have been led by the unsuccessful," Milatovic told a campaign rally. After the invasion of Ukraine last year, Montenegro signed up to EU sanctions against Russia.

☆ S.Korea, US seeking extradition of crypto entrepreneur Do Kwon -Montenegro
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PODGORICA, March 29 (Reuters) - South Korea and the U.S. are seeking the extradition of Do Kwon, an international fugitive accused of a multibillion-dollar fraud, and another suspect arrested in Montenegro last week, the Montenegrin Justice Minister Marko Kovac said on Wednesday. Do Kwon, a South Korean national, is a cryptocurrency entrepreneur and former CEO of South Korea-based Terraform Labs, the company behind the stablecoin TerraUSD that collapsed in May 2022 and roiled cryptocurrency markets. A U.S. indictment announced last week charged Do Kwon, who co-founded Terraform Labs and developed the TerraUSD and Luna currencies, with two counts each of securities fraud, wire fraud, commodities fraud and conspiracy. South Korean authorities issued an arrest warrant for him last September. Kovac said the South Korean and U.S. extradition requests also called for the handover of the computers.

☆ Montenegro police arrest suspected former CEO of Terraform labs - interior minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PODGORICA/SEOUL, March 23 (Reuters) - Police in Montenegro have detained a person thought to be Do Kwon, an international fugitive accused of defrauding investors in a multibillion-dollar cryptocurrency scheme, the country's interior minister said on Thursday. "The person is suspected of being one of the most wanted fugitives, South Korean national Do Kwon, a co-founder and CEO of the Singapore-based Terraform Labs," Filip Adzic, the Montenegrin interior minister wrote on Twitter. loadingSouth Korean police said a suspect thought to be Do Kwon and another person thought to be an individual named Han Chang-joon had been arrested in Montenegro. In February, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil lawsuit against Kwon and Terraform Labs in Manhattan federal court, accusing them of defrauding investors in what the regulator deemed a multibillion-dollar scheme. Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. Justice Department was investigating the 2022 collapse of the TerraUSD stablecoin and had questioned former team members of Terraform Labs, which was behind the stablecoin.

[1/5] Milo Djukanovic, President of Montenegro and a candidate from the Democratic Party of Socialists, speaks to the media at a polling station during the presidential elections in Podgorica, Montenegro, March 19, 2023. REUTERS/Stevo VasiljevicPODGORICA, March 19 (Reuters) - Montenegro's veteran President Milo Djukanovic will face a run-off on April 2 against a pro-Western former economy minister, after no candidate secured a 50% majority in a first round election on Sunday, according to a vote projection. The Center for Monitoring and Research polling group (CEMI) projected Djukanovic would end up with the most votes, with 35.5%, based on results tabulated from a statistical sample of votes cast. Djukanovic has served as president or prime minister for 33 years. A victory in the presidential election would bolster the chances of his DPS party in the parliamentary vote.

[1/6] Milo Djukanovic, President of Montenegro and a candidate from the Democratic Party of Socialists, visits a polling station during the presidential elections in Podgorica, Montenegro, March 19, 2023. Milatovic described his result as a victory of "a beautiful, better, just ... and European Montenegro." Djukanovic has served as president or prime minister for 33 years. "We are content with this level of support, it is a good foundation ... that will carry us to the victory in the run-off," Djukanovic said. A victory in the run-off would bolster the chances of his DPS party in the parliamentary vote.

☆ One year on, Russia's war in Ukraine ramps up fears over Europe's next security 'soft spot'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, North Macedonia President Stevo Pendarovski said that, aside from Kyiv, he believed that the Western Balkan region was the "soft spot" of Europe's security architecture. For sure, the Western Balkans is a second battleground for Russia in terms of foreign interference and information manipulation. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesĆerimagić said Russia's war in Ukraine provides Europe with a clear opportunity to cement stability in the Western Balkans. "For sure, the Western Balkans is a second battleground for Russia in terms of foreign interference and information manipulation. watch nowNorth Macedonia's Pendarovski last month described the U.S. as a "key player" in supporting Western Balkan countries through Russia's war in Ukraine.

☆ Holiday in Montenegro becomes escape from call-up for Russians
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Alexander and his wife Svetlana walk on Jaz beach near Budva, Montenegro, September 26, 2022. REUTERS/Stevo VasiljevicBUDVA, Montenegro, Sept 27 (Reuters) - When Alexander and his wife Svetlana arrived for a two-week vacation in Montenegro, they planned to return home to Russia. But President Vladimir Putin's announcement last week ordering a mobilisation of reservists for the war in Ukraine has thrown their lives into disarray. I am afraid we will have no friends left in Russia," Alexander said. Maxim, 48, a physician, was also vacationing in Montenegro when he heard about mobilisation at home.

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