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☆ Climate Action 15: 2024's Leading Innovators for a Sustainable Future
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-11 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +40 min

Editor's note: Business Insider's reporters and editors nominated leaders based on insights from past Climate Action honorees, expert sources, and reader submissions. Courtesy of Jayson RicamaraSaudi Arabia, with its hot desert climate and little fresh water, is one of the most difficult farming environments. AdvertisementIyris in October also launched a sustainable-farming pilot in Saudi Arabia with chemical and plastic manufacturers as well as companies including Red Sea Global, a luxury tourism developer. A UN climate panel estimated that harnessing wave energy could supply 20% more electricity than the world produced in 2022. The US is trying to shore up its own mining and manufacturing base to curb China's power, including in battery recycling.

Persons: Derya Baran, Iyris Derya Baran, Jayson Ricamara, Baran, SecondSky, who's, Inna Braverman, Braverman, David Leb, Charles Callaway, Environmental Justice Charles Callaway ., Callaway, Clara, Gretchen Cara Daily, Stanford University Gretchen Cara Daily, Daily, NatCap, Juan Carlos Navarro, Panama Juan Carlos Navarro, Panama Navarro, José Raúl, Haiti —, Navarro, del, Reinhold Gallmetzer, Reinhold, Gallmetzer, Brazil's JBS, packer, Diane Gilpin, Smart Green Shipping Diane Gilpin, Gilpin, Drax, Roberta Tuurraq Glenn, Borade, Savok Glenn, Glenn, Cynthia Houniuhi, Houniuhi, it's, Arvind Kumar, Prasad, Rice, Kumar, Ari Matusiak, Gazur, Matusiak, —, Duncan McIntyre, McIntyre, Altenex, Ozane, Biden, It's, Delta, Liz Ricketts, Charlie Engman Ricketts, Ricketts, Ricketts didn't, Chao Yan, Princeton NuEnergy Chao Yan, Yan Organizations: Iyris, United Arab, King Abdullah University of Science, Technology, Red, Eco, UN, Eco Wave Power, Shell, Environmental Justice, Proctor Academy For Callaway, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Green Institute, Callaway, Natural, Stanford University, Stanford, Facility, Ministry, Environment, Panama's, UNESCO, US State Department, National Association for, Nature, Center, for, Carrefour, Nestlé, Smart Green Shipping, Scottish Enterprise, International Windship Association, Maritime Organization, Union, Alaska Arctic Observatory, National Weather Service, AAOKH, University of Alaska, Pacific Islands, University of, International Court of Justice, United Nations, Prasad Seeds, Labor, Prasad, International Rice Research Institute, Rewiring, Reduction, Communities, Highland Electric, Schools, Highland, Beverly Public Schools, Fortune, Edison International, Louisiana, US Department of Energy, Ozane, White, LNG, Vessel Project, Biden, Department of Energy, Kantamanto, London . Brands, McKinsey, Princeton, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Princeton NuEnergy, Energy, Laboratory, EV Locations: Jayson Ricamara Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Spain, Ukraine, Cherkassy, Israel, Gibraltar, Port of Los Angeles, Porto, Portugal, West Harlem, New York City, Clara Hale, Costa Rica, Belize, China, NatCap, Stanford, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Haiti, Panama City, Brazil, Peru, Brazilian, , Norway's, Barrow, Furness, Alaska, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Utqiaġvik, Fanalei, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Asia, Saharan Africa, India, Philippines, Nepal, Bangladesh, Africa, Hyderabad, South, Southeastern Asia, Subhanpur, Rewiring America, Massachusetts —, Sulphur , Louisiana, Calcasieu, Vessel Project Louisiana, Accra, Ghana, New York, London, Kantamanto, Taiyuan, China's Shanxi, Argonne, South Carolina

☆ ChatGPT can be tricked into telling people how to commit crimes, a tech firm finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-23 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —ChatGPT can be duped into providing detailed advice on how to commit crimes ranging from money laundering to the export of weapons to sanctioned countries, a tech startup found, raising questions over the chatbot’s safeguards against its use to aid illegal activity. Norwegian firm Strise ran experiments asking ChatGPT for tips on committing specific crimes. And in another experiment, run earlier this month, ChatGPT produced lists of methods to help businesses evade sanctions, such as those against Russia, including bans on certain cross-border payments and the sale of arms. Strise sells software that helps banks and other companies combat money laundering, identify sanctioned individuals and tackle other risks. “It’s like having a corrupt financial adviser on your desktop,” Rødevand said on the company’s podcast last month, describing the money laundering experiment.

Persons: London CNN —, Strise, ChatGPT, Handelsbanken, Marit Rødevand, Strise’s, ”, OpenAI, “, Rødevand, “ We’re, Europol, Olesya Dmitracova Organizations: London CNN, Strise, CNN, Russia Locations: Russia, Nordic, Norway

☆ TD Bank pleads guilty in money laundering case, will pay $3 billion in penalties
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-10 | by ( Dan Mangan | Dan Mangan Is A Reporter Covering Politics For Cnbc.Com. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

The total assets of TD Bank’s two U.S. banking subsidiaries will be barred from exceeding $434 billion under that restriction. “Today, TD Bank also became the largest bank in U.S. history to plead guilty to Bank Secrecy Act program failures, and the first US bank in history to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering,” Garland said. “TD Bank chose profits over compliance with the law — a decision that is now costing the bank billions of dollars in penalties. “In August 2021, a TD Bank store manager emailed another store manager and remarked, quote, ‘You guys really need to shut this down. “This settlement lets bad bank executives off the hook for allowing TD Bank to be used as a criminal slush fund.

Persons: ”, General Merrick Garland, ” Garland, “, Garland, David, Lol, ’ ” Garland, ‘, FinCEN, Wally Adeyemo, ” Adeymo, ” Sen, Elizabeth Warren, ” Warren, Bharat Masrani, ” Masrani Organizations: Bank, Department of Justice, TD Bank, Currency, Federal Reserve, “, Washington , D.C, DOJ, Treasury, Enforcement Network, FinCEN, Street, CNBC, of Justice, Consumer Financial, Bureau Locations: U.S, Wells Fargo, Washington ,, Newark , New Jersey, United States, Canada, “

☆ TD Bank hit with record $3 billion fine over drug cartel money laundering, source says
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-10 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —TD Bank will pay $3 billion to settle charges that it failed to properly monitor money laundering by drug cartels, regulators announced Thursday. TD also intends to pay $1.8 billion to the US Justice Department and plead guilty to resolve the US government’s investigation that the bank violated of the Bank Secrecy Act and allowed money laundering. The US Department of Justice said in a statement that TD Bank had “long-term, pervasive, and systemic deficiencies” in its procedures of monitoring transactions. TD Bank declined to comment on the fine, but the bank plans to hold a call with investors later on Thursday. TD Bank’s (TD) US-listed shares slumped 5% as investors brace for higher legal expenses and weaker growth.

Persons: FinCEN, TD Bank’s, ” John Aiken, “, Allen Stanford Organizations: New, New York CNN —, Bank, US Treasury Department’s, US Justice Department, US Department of Justice, Street Journal, TD Bank, Jefferies, ”, Justice, Treasury, CNN Locations: New York

☆ Foreign adversaries will try to cast doubt on election results after Nov. 5, U.S. intel officials say
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-08 | by ( Dan De Luce | Dan De Luce Is A Reporter For The Nbc News Investigative Unit. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Foreign adversaries will try to shake Americans’ confidence in the legitimacy of election results in November by giving voice to false claims or spreading their own disinformation about ballot counting, U.S. intelligence officials said Tuesday. In its latest assessment of foreign threats to the election, intelligence officials said the main foreign powers seeking to shape the outcome of the vote — Russia, China and Iran — also were focusing on meddling in congressional and state races. China’s election influence efforts were focused on “tens” of races, with Beijing denigrating particular candidates with a variety of social media and other online activities, the intelligence official added. Officials also said foreign adversaries are getting more skilled at using Americans to spread their manufactured falsehoods. Intelligence officials reiterated that Russia’s disinformation campaign is directed at undermining Vice President Kamala Harris and her fellow Democrats as Moscow seeks to undercut Western support for Ukraine.

Persons: ”, Iran —, “, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump’s, Joe Biden, Biden Organizations: Intelligence, Ukraine, Democratic Locations: Russia, China, Iran, U.S, Cuba, Havana, Ukraine, Kyiv, Beijing, Moscow

CNN —US federal prosecutors on Friday unsealed criminal charges against three Iranian government-linked hackers in connection with a hacking operation aimed at Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Masoud Jalili, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri and Yasar (Yaser) Balaghi are accused of aggravated identity theft and wire fraud for their hacking efforts on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Separately, the US Treasury Department on Friday imposed sanctions on seven people as part of a sweeping response to Iranian efforts “to influence or interfere” in the 2020 and 2024 US presidential elections. The alleged Iranian hack threw a twist in the presidential campaign in August when multiple news outlets reported receiving emails from a pseudonymous email account peddling documents stolen from the Trump campaign. The hacking operation began in June, when the alleged IRGC-linked hackers targeted longtime Trump ally Roger Stone and used access to his email account to target campaign staff.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Trump, Masoud Jalili, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri, Balaghi, “, JD Vance —, Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris ’, Roger Stone, Harris Organizations: CNN, Court, District of Columbia, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, US Treasury Department, Trump, Biden, FBI, The, Department, Washington Post, Fox Locations: Russia, China, Iran, Russian, Ukraine

☆ Police arrest five people over fake Brad Pitt scam after two women lost $362,000
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Police in Spain have arrested five people accused of scamming two women out of 325,000 euros ($362,000) by pretending to be Hollywood star Brad Pitt online. One woman lost 175,000 euros ($195,000) to the fraudsters, while another lost 150,000 euros ($167,000). Both victims were contacted via a Brad Pitt fan site by fraudsters who managed to convince them that the actor wanted to invest in various projects with them, police said. Investigators found that, as part of the scam, a network of bank accounts were created using fake identity documents. “Mules” were also used to help to launder money through their own bank accounts in exchange for a small payment.

Persons: Brad Pitt, fraudsters, “, ”, Pitt Organizations: CNN — Police, Hollywood, Guardia Civil, Investigators Locations: Spain

☆ Miami man among 2 charged in $230 million cryptocurrency theft and laundering scam
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Nbc South Florida | The Staff Of Nbc South Florida. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

A Miami man is facing charges after authorities said he teamed up with a California man in a scam to steal and launder over $230 million in cryptocurrency. It appears the arrest is connected with an FBI raid of a waterfront home in the area of Northeast 83rd Street and N. Bayshore Drive. After they fraudulently gained access to victims’ cryptocurrency accounts, they transferred the funds into their possession and laundered the proceeds, authorities said. Lam and Serrano spent the laundered cryptocurrency proceeds on international travel, partying in nightclubs, luxury automobiles, watches, jewelry, designer handbags, and rental homes in Los Angeles and Miami, authorities said. Prosecutors said the investigation into the scam is ongoing.

Persons: cryptocurrency . Malone Lam, Jeandiel Serrano, Anne Hathaway ”, Serrano, ”, Lam, Prosecutors Organizations: FBI, Attorney’s, District of Columbia Locations: Miami, California, cryptocurrency ., Los Angeles, U.S, Northeast, Lam, Singapore

☆ How Elon Musk amplified content from a suspected Russian election interference plot
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( David Ingram | David Ingram Is A Tech Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

Musk did not respond to an email Tuesday asking about the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty report and about his sharing of Tenet Media content. Representatives for X also did not respond to a request for comment about Musk or about X’s handling of Tenet content. In posts on X, Musk has appeared unconcerned about Russia’s influence operations. The day after the indictment dropped, Musk accused The Associated Press of pushing anti-Trump “propaganda” in its coverage of Tenet Media. Southern and other commentators formerly employed by Tenet Media have said that they did nothing wrong.

Persons: Elon Musk, Tenet’s, Donald Trump, Trump, Musk’s reshare, Tenet, Dave Rubin, Benny Johnson, Christopher Wray, ” Tenet, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Musk, X, Ben Shapiro, Josephine Lukito, ” Lukito, ”, Tim Pool, Rubin’s, Sen, Mark R, Martin Riedl, Lauren Southern, “, ” Musk, ” Southern Organizations: Elon, Tenet Media, NBC, Republican, White, Tenet, Radio Free, Radio Liberty, Social Design Agency, Associated Press, Trump, University of Texas, “, Tech, Senate Intelligence, Meta, Microsoft, Warner, Democratic, CNBC, School of Journalism, Media, University of Tennessee, NASA Locations: Russian, Russia, Radio Free Europe, Moscow, Knoxville, Europe

☆ The illegal maneuvers the rich use to get richer
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Read previewTax evasion, insider trading, and money laundering. "There are routine categories of illicit acts that wealthy individuals often endeavor out of sheer greed," Matthew Barhoma, a Los Angeles defense attorney, told Business Insider. Insider trading is 'rampant' among some wealthy circlesAnother common unlawful method that some of the rich use to get richer is insider trading, according to the attorneys. Like insider trading, money laundering — a process used to conceal the source of illegally obtained cash — is another illicit tactic used by some wealthy individuals, according to the defense attorneys. "Having dealt a lot with people who devise these kinds of fraudulent financial transactions, I will say that many of them are absolutely brilliant," said Ressler.

Persons: —, Todd, Julie Chrisley, Chrisley, Mike, Matthew Barhoma, Barhoma, Tama Kudman, they've, Mark Ressler, he's, Uncle Sam, Kasowitz Benson Torres, it's, Kudman, Ressler Organizations: Service, Business, United States Treasury Department, Treasury Department, Defense, New Locations: —, Los Angeles, Switzerland, Cayman, New York City

☆ Who is the real Alice Guo? Fugitive mayor accused of spying for China faces legal reckoning after weeks on the run
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-04 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The official inquiry into Alice Guo, disgraced former mayor of a small town not far from the capital Manila, has been compulsive viewing for Filipinos since it began in May. But who exactly is Alice Guo? The Bureau of Immigration (BI) says Indonesian authorities have informed them that former Mayor Alice Guo has been arrested in the country on September 4, 2024. Guo shows her chicken farm in Bamban, Tarlac province, in the Philippines in a YouTube video posted on April 20, 2022. The real concern about Guo arose from her alleged ties with business associates from China currently in prison.

Persons: Alice Guo, Guo, “, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, lawbreakers, ”, Alice L, David Buenaventura, Ditjen, she’s, Alice Leal Guo, scammers, Senator Risa Hontiveros, Marcos Jr, ” Marcos, Guo Hua Ping, hasn’t, Zhang Ruijin, Lin Baoying, Zhang, Lin, AMLC, Shiela, Cassandra Li Ong Organizations: CNN, absconding, Ang Law, Immigration, Philippine Bureau, YouTube, Philippine Offshore Gaming, Philippine News Agency, Philippine senate, Facebook, National Bureau of Investigation, Money, Yuan Technology Inc, Hongshen Gaming Technology Inc, QJJ, Inc Locations: Philippines, Manila, China, South China, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Bamban, Tarlac province, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippine, what’s, POGOs, Beijing, Singapore

☆ Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada: US operation to capture Sinaloa cartel leaders had the help of one of the captured men: a son of ‘El Chapo,’ official says
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Emma Tucker | Polo Sandoval | Evan Perez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, 76, the alleged co-founder and leader of the powerful Sinaloa cartel, was arrested in El Paso, Texas, Thursday, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. Another alleged cartel leader, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, 38, was also arrested, he said. But Zambada didn’t know US investigators had exploited a rift in the Sinaloa cartel and Guzman Lopez was helping with Zambada’s capture, the official said. Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, left, and Joaquín Guzmán López, a son of another infamous cartel leader, after they were arrested by US authorities in Texas, the US Justice Department said Thursday. “Ismael Mario Zambada Garcia is the long-time leader of the Zambada Garcia faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.

Persons: CNN —, Ismael “ El, General Merrick Garland, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, Guzman, Joaquin “ El Chapo ” Guzman, Zambada, Guzman Lopez, Ismael “ El Mayo ” Zambada, Guzmán, Rosa Icela Rodriguez, “, ” Rodriguez, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s, Rodriguez, Rodriquez, ” Garland, extraditions, “ Ismael Mario Zambada Garcia, Zambada Garcia, Christopher Wray, ” Wray, Anne Milgram, El, ”, Vicente Zambada Niebla, Chapo, “ El, “ El Mayo ” Zambada Organizations: CNN, Ismael “ El Mayo ” Zambada, FBI, Reuters, Ismael “ El Mayo ”, US Justice Department, US Department of State, AP, Mexico’s National Immigration Institute, Cessna, Justice Department, US State Department, Drug, Administration, ”, Sinaloa Cartel, Eastern, of, ” CNN, “ El Mayo ”, Police, Border Patrol Locations: Mexican, United States, Sinaloa, El Paso , Texas, Mexico, El Paso, Santa Teresa, “, Mexico’s Sinaloa, Texas, Hermosillo, Illinois, Chicago, Guatemala, Brooklyn, of New York, Ciudad Juarez, American, Juarez, Columbus , New Mexico

☆ Coinbase UK unit fined $4.5 million by British regulator over 'high-risk' customer breaches
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Photo Illustrating Coinbase in Suqian, Jiangsu Province, China on June 6, 2023 (Photo Illustration by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images)British regulators fined Coinbase's U.K. arm £3.5 million ($4.5 million) on Thursday over breaching a voluntary agreement designed to stop the cryptocurrency exchange from onboarding "high-risk customers." CB Payments Limited (CBPL) is part of the Coinbase Group, which operates a global crypto trading platform. In October 2020, CBPL entered into a voluntary agreement with the U.K.'s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), accepting restrictions that prevented it from taking on new customers that the regulator considered high-risk. However, CBPL breached the agreement and onboarded and served 13,416 of so-called high-risk customers, the FCA said. These funds were used to make withdrawals and execute crypto transactions via other Coinbase entities, totaling approximately $226 million.

Persons: CBPL, Therese Chambers, Coinbase Organizations: Getty Images, Payments, Coinbase, Authority, FCA Locations: Suqian, Jiangsu Province, China

☆ A Silicon Valley executive had $400,000 stolen by cybercriminals while buying a home. Here’s her warning
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Hugh Son | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Real estate, with its large transaction sizes and frequent use of wire transfers, has proven to be an especially lucrative target for criminals. In early July, Robillard told CNBC she had no idea whether she would ever see her money again. Courtesy: Rana RobillardRobillard says she decided to publicize her story to boost awareness of real estate wire fraud, besides being a last-ditch attempt at getting her money back. "This is not what I thought my public representation would look like, which is that I've lost all this money," Robillard said. While Martinez, California-based Compass Mortgage denies being hacked, it acknowledged that the email with wire directions wasn't from them, according to Robillard.

Persons: Rana Robillard, she'd, Robillard, HackerOne, Fraudsters, Naftali Harris, Harris, Charles Schwab, she's, —, Robillard Robillard, I've, it's, should've, Kristy Aichinger, Aichinger, Kent Donahue, Donahue didn't Organizations: JPMorgan Chase, CNBC, Citigroup, Ally Bank, San, FBI, JPMorgan, Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial, Bureau, Chase, FTC, OS National, Opendoor, Robillard, Compass Mortgage Advisors, Mortgage Locations: Oakland, Orinda ,, California, Orinda, San Francisco, Real, Martinez

☆ Two men plead guilty to helping send electronics found in weapons to Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Jack Forrest | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

A co-defendant in the case, Kristina Puzyreva, pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the export scheme, prosecutors said, and she now awaits sentencing. Authorities seized around $1.68 million dollars in connection with the scheme, prosecutors say. The components the trio sourced have been found in seized Russian weapons that included guided missiles, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and battle tanks, with some of the components needed for Russia’s precision-guided weapons systems being used against Ukraine, according to prosecutors. “The defendants were aware of the potential military applications of the electronics that they exported to Russia,” prosecutors said in the release. “Goltsev responded, ‘happy holiday to you too my friend, we are defending it in the way that we can [smile emoji].’”CNN’s Devan Cole contributed to this report.

Persons: Salimdzhon Nasriddinov, Nikolay Goltsev, “, Lisa Monaco, “ Mr, Goltsev, ” Todd, Kristina Puzyreva, Ivan J, Arvelo, Nasriddinov, ’, “ Goltsev, ‘, ” CNN’s Devan Cole Organizations: CNN, of, Nasriddinov, SH Brothers Inc, SN Electronics Inc, United, United Arab Emirates, Homeland Security Investigations, York, Authorities, Fatherland, Soviet Union Locations: Montreal, Russia, Ukraine, Eastern, of New York, Brooklyn, Turkey, Hong Kong, India, China, United Arab

☆ Deepfake video targeting Zelensky’s wife linked to Russian disinformation campaign, CNN analysis shows
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-02 | by ( Gianluca Mezzofiore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Yet, it gathered some 18 million views in 24 hours on X, where it was reposted by pro-Russian influencers. A CNN analysis shows Verite Cachee was set up recently, on June 22, 2024, and some of its pages still have prompts with AI to create fake articles at the top of the piece. They then integrate the story through social media, starting with real pro-Russian influencers who are part of their network,” he told CNN. A report by Recorded Future, a leading cybersecurity company, also identified Veritee Cachee as being part of the same disinformation network. Given the size and resources of the network, it is likely some Russian support or financing is happening, Clément Briens, a senior threat intelligence analyst at the company, told CNN.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Olena Zelenska, Clément, Bugatti, Autofficina Parigi, “, ”, deepfakes, Cachee, Darren Linvill, they’ve, Patrick Warren, Zelenska, Veritee, Zelensky, Biden, ” Briens, Emmanuel Macron Organizations: London CNN, Bugatti, Lovers Group, Group, Schumacher, Bugatti Paris, CNN, Clemson University’s, YouTube, “, Clemson, DC Weekly, NATO Locations: Paris, Russian, France, Ukraine, “, Linvill, Cartier, New York, Europe

☆ US announces major bust as efforts to crack down on Chinese money launderers working with drug cartels ratchet up
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

A US-based lawyer who has represented accused Chinese money launderers said the tempo of law enforcement operations against the alleged launderers has increased in recent weeks as federal agents close in on “bigger fish” among Chinese money launderers in the US. None of the federal law enforcement agencies involved in tracking Chinese money launderers agreed to be interviewed on the record. Grassley and Whitehouse have each introduced legislation they say is key to closing loopholes in US law that are actively exploited by the cartels’ money launderers. Elaborate networksRecent court documents illuminate how far-flung and elaborate US-based networks of alleged Chinese money launderers are. Mirror TransactionsExperts say the Chinese money launderers have mastered the art of so-called mirror transactions, which involve a series of deposits at multiple bank accounts to conceal the drug money.

Persons: ”, Anne Milgram, surveil, “, Don Im, Biden, HSI, Ricardo Mayoral, William Kimbell, ” Kimbell, launderers, —, Sen, Sheldon Whitehouse, ” Whitehouse, Treasury Department —, Whitehouse, Christopher Wray, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Republican Sen, Charles Grassley, Enhua Fang, Li Pei Tan, Tan, Joe Habachy, Matthew Rothbeind, Fang, Chaojie Chen, Chen, Greg Hunter, ” David Luckey, JPMorgan Chase Organizations: CNN, Drug, Administration, Sinaloa Cartel, US Court, Central, Central District of, DEA, IRS, “, Centers for Disease Control, Federal, Homeland Security, Treasury, Treasury Department, Treasury’s, Network, Homeland Security Investigations, DHS, Financial Crimes, Rhode Island Democrat, intel, Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Senate, ” CNN, White, Office of National Drug Control, Service, Biden, Republican, Grassley, Rand Corporation, of, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, JPMorgan, Organization Locations: California, Mexican, China, Mexico, Los Angeles, Sinaloa, Central District, Central District of California, Colombia, America, Oregon, Virginia, South Carolina, Washington, DC, North, Central America, —, Iowa, North Carolina, Belize, Chinese, Georgia, Chicago, Tulsa, East Coast, Detroit , Chicago, Ohio, Western, of North Carolina, Wells Fargo

☆ Conspiracy theory-fueled newspaper Epoch Times grew revenue 4x thanks to CFO's crypto crime proceeds, feds say
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-03 | by ( Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Epoch Times wasn't named in court records, and the Justice Department said the case had nothing to do with its editorial slant. They used the prepaid cards and financial accounts that were opened with stolen personal information to plow millions of dollars into the Epoch Times' bank accounts, prosecutors say. The Epoch Times said in a statement that it had suspended Guan, though it said that he was innocent until proven guilty. Advertisement"The Epoch Times has a guiding principle that elevates integrity in its dealings above everything else," the statement said. ET: This story has been updated to include a comment from Epoch Times received after publication.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Bill, Guan, Damian Williams, it's, Biden Organizations: Service, Times, The Justice Department, Epoch Times, Business, Justice Department, Southern, of, NBC, Gong Locations: New York, Manhattan

☆ Two former MIT students charged with stealing $25 million of crypto in 12 seconds
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Authorities said they executed their elaborate heist in April 2023, stealing $25 million from traders in just 12 seconds by fraudulently gaining access to pending transactions and altering the movement of cryptocurrency. “As we allege, the defendants’ scheme calls the very integrity of the blockchain into question,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said. An indictment charged them with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Anton Peraire-Bueno was arrested in Boston, while James Peraire-Bueno was arrested in New York. Prosecutors said that after carrying out the heist, the brothers rejected requests to return the funds and instead took steps to launder and hide the stolen cryptocurrency.

Persons: Anton Peraire, James Peraire, ”, Damian Williams, Bueno Organizations: CNN, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Authorities, MIT, Prosecutors Locations: Manhattan, U.S, Boston, New York, Cambridge , Massachusetts

☆ 2 founders of a crypto mixer charged with laundering funds from the dark web
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The cofounders of crypto mixer Samourai Wallet were charged with money laundering. The service anonymized hundreds of millions of dollars for dark web criminals, prosecutors said. AdvertisementThe cofounders of a cryptocurrency mixing service called Samourai Wallet — which rendered crypto transactions anonymous — have been arrested and charged with money laundering, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday. Rodriguez and Hill were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. Related storiesThe Samourai Wallet website has been seized.

Persons: Samourai's cofounders, —, — Keonne Rodriguez, William Lonergan Hill —, Rodriguez, Hill, James Smith, haven't Organizations: Service, Prosecutors, Southern, of, FBI Locations: of New York, Portugal, DMs

☆ A billionaire drug kingpin escaped justice by paying a bond set at just $53K and then running away
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewA billionaire drug baron was arrested in Spain on money laundering charges but was released after paying a $53,000 bond, according to reports. AdvertisementThis followed a five-year investigation that police say showed the suspects had established a criminal organization involved in large-scale drug trafficking, including the smuggling of significant amounts of cocaine. Related storiesPolitico referred to Bouyakhrichan as a billionaire who possesses bank accounts and properties around the world. AdvertisementThe judge then imposed a €50,000 bond, roughly $53,000, took away Bouyakhrichan's passport, and ordered him to report to the authorities every fifteen days.

Persons: —, Felix Bolaños, Karim Bouyakhrichan, Bouyakhrichan, Vincent Veenman Organizations: Service, Business, Spain's National Police, BBC, Cadena SER Locations: Spain, Dutch, Moroccan, Netherlands, Belgium, South America, Europe, The Hague, Spanish

☆ Romance scammers are now building trust with AI-generated deepfakes. Here's how to spot them.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

It might be because he's a romance scammer called a "Yahoo Boy" who wants to steal your life savings. Once gaining the victims' trust, the scammers use a pretense to solicit money, like the need to pay an emergency medical expense. Last year alone, the FBI's Internet Crime Report estimated that Americans lost more than $650 million to romance scams. Kate Kleinert, a 69-year-old widow, previously told BI that she lost $39,000 to an online romance scam. Over the last two years, the Yahoo Boys started experimenting with deepfake video clips and video calls, according to Wired.

Persons: —, Kate Kleinert, Kleinart, David Maimon, Trina Higgins, Higgins, haven't Organizations: Service, Yahoo, Yahoo Boys, Department of Justice, Business, Federal Trade Commission, Social Security, Wired, Georgia State University, CNN, Nigerian, Prosecutors, Justice Department Locations: Nigeria, Hong Kong, Salt Lake City, Utah

☆ Opinion | Republicans Are Fleeing the Stench of a Rotten Congress
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Frank Bruni | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When it comes to Donald Trump, House Republicans do a convincing pantomime of love. They grovel for his favor, gush about getting his endorsement and speak and vote in line with his desires. They’re half partisan, half courtesan. That’s the truth of the Trump era, and that’s the moral of the 2024 exodus from Congress. More than two dozen House Republicans, along with more than two dozen House Democrats, have headed or are headed for the exits, but the largeness of those numbers — which track with those in other election years over the past decade — don’t tell the story.

Persons: Donald Trump, merrily, gush, Trump Organizations: House Republicans, Republicans, House, Trump

☆ Oklahoma Was a Legal Marijuana Utopia. Then Came the Mass Murder
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Matt Stroud | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +32 min

Fourteen months after the murders, the garage of the abandoned marijuana farm on prairie tableland northwest of Oklahoma City sits frozen and dark. Broadway Avenue in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, about 30 miles south of where Wu Chen, 47, executed four people at a marijuana farm. When Oklahoma legalized medical marijuana, the only real requirement was that Oklahoma residents had to be involved in marijuana growing and selling. But Oklahoma required 75% of any marijuana business to be owned by an Oklahoma resident. Deputies from the Kingfisher County Sheriff's Office were the first to arrive at the scene of a quadruple homicide at an abandoned marijuana farm.

Persons: Wu Chen, Mike Simons, Kevin Stitt, Sean Hannity's, Dan Newhouse, Liu, Chen, Yi Fei Lin, Mark Woodward, —, OBN, Adria Berry, BI Adria Berry, I'm, Barb Miuccio, Jeremy Grable, Jeremy, Barb, she's, Barbara Miuccio, Treez, Matt Stacy, Stacy, Stitt, Jeremy they'd, he'd, OMMA, didn't, Barb didn't, Barbara, Stacy —, she'd, Stacy hadn't, BI Jonathan Riedlinger, Riedlinger, Lin, Qirong Lin, Hechun Chen, Qiang Chen, Fang Lee —, Wenbo Lin, Wu Chen —, Wenbo Lin didn't, Reidlinger, Jed Green, Matthew Alan Stacy, Barb —, — he's, He'd, Woodward, Helen Carillo, He's, Kevin Pham, Pham, BI Pham, ProPublica, recriminations, Green, It's, they're, I'd, Ken Thompson, Thompson, Chen didn't, He'll, Jonathan Riedlinger, Kiki, I've Organizations: Oklahoma City, Broadway, BI, Marijuana, Oklahoma, Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, Republican, Sean Hannity's Fox, Fox News, Chen Inc, Narcotics, BI Adria, Oklahoma's Army National Guard, OBN, Business, Oklahoma State Bureau of, Sheriff's, Prosecutors, CSI Accounting Services, Whitney Economics, NBC, Cannabis, Virginia Slim, Florida . Police Locations: Oklahoma, Kingfisher County , Oklahoma, Ames , Oklahoma, Kingfisher , Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, California, Arkansas, Republican Washington, China, Kingfisher County, Dallas, Moore , Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine, He's, Moore, Kingfisher, Hennessey , Oklahoma, OMMA, Mexico, Edmond, Tulsa, Russia, Bulgaria, Armenia, Steakhouse, Virginia, Florida, Miami Beach, Miami

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried has to repay $11 billion. How can he possibly do that?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —A federal judge on Thursday ordered Sam Bankman-Fried to repay more than $11 billion as part of his sentence for defrauding customers and investors in his failed crypto exchange FTX. In their sentencing memorandum earlier this month, federal prosecutors laid out their reasoning for seeking $11 billion in forfeiture. Unlike restitution, where the money from seized assets goes directly to victims, the money from forfeiture is taken by the government and absorbed into the US Treasury. It is unclear how much Bankman-Fried is currently worth, but it’s likely not anywhere near $11 billion. So far, the Department of Justice has redistributed about $4 billion to Madoff’s victims.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, SBF, ” Mitchell Epner, “, ”, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, Anthony Capozzolo, Elizabeth Holmes, Holmes, Ramesh “ Sunny ” Balwani, Bernard Madoff, Peter Katz, Katz, they’ll, ” Katz Organizations: New, New York CNN, CNN, Treasury, District, “, of, Department of Justice’s, Department of Justice, Department Locations: New York, Eastern, of New York

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