Enforcement Actions

According to Gazeta Wyborcza citing Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW), Zondacrypto, one of Central and Eastern Europe's largest crypto exchanges, halted withdrawals this month after being revealed as controlled by Russia's Tambov crime syndicate since 2018. The platform's reserves reportedly d

According to Bloomberg News, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden requested information from US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and cryptocurrency firm Tether on Wednesday regarding a loan between the company and a trust benefitting Lutnick's children. The senators wrote that the loan "raises s

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI-led global task force arrested 276 suspects and disrupted nine crypto scam centers on Wednesday. Dubai police arrested 275 individuals, with three charged in California on wire fraud and money laundering counts. Thai authorities arrested one suspe

A U.S. court sentenced the descendants of this jewelry family to 8 years in prison for operating an unregistered money-transmitting business and an over-the-counter cryptocurrency exchange. They first received illicit drug proceeds via cryptocurrency and then converted them to cash, laundering the money through shell companies and forged documents, before ultimately withdrawing funds in Colombia using the local currency. The court also seized approximately $2,360,000 and related bank accounts.

According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korean prosecutors on April 30 sought a 20-year prison sentence for Delio CEO Chung Sang-ho over allegations of defrauding approximately 2,800 victims of about 250 billion won ($190 million) in virtual assets. The crypto lending platform suspended withdrawals o

North Korean hackers have stolen nearly three-quarters of all cryptocurrency taken by cybercriminals so far in 2026 through two precisely executed attacks on decentralized finance platforms in April, according to blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs. The two incidents—a $285 million breach of Drift

The U.S. FBI and DOJ led a coordinated cross-border operation, with Dubai police arresting 275 people and Thai authorities arresting 1 person. In the Southern District of California, the U.S. has filed wire fraud and money laundering charges against four alleged suspects. The three syndicates Ko Thet Group, Sanduo Group, and Giant Company allegedly used “pig-butchering” schemes combined with fake investment platforms to profit, with cross-border cooperation to prevent losses reaching $562 million so far. The focus ahead will be asset tracking and recovering funds for victims.

According to a report by Fox Business on April 30, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on the Kudlow show that the United States has seized nearly $500 million worth of Iranian cryptocurrency assets as part of the “economic rage action.” Bessent said the move is intended to freeze bank accounts, confiscate assets, and pressure foreign governments to cut ties with Iran.

A U.S. court sentenced Maximilien de Hoop Cartier to eight years in prison for helping launder more than $470 million through an unlicensed crypto exchange. Prosecutors said the network used U.S. banks, shell companies, and crypto accounts to move criminal proceeds overseas. Key Takeaways:

According to the Los Angeles Times, on April 30, Evan Tangeman, a 22-year-old man from Newport Beach, California, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the District of Washington, to 70 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release; Tangeman pleaded guilty in December 2025, admitting to laundering $3.5 million for a crypto scam group.

According to a notice released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on April 30, an international joint operation led by Dubai Police with the joint participation of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and China’s Ministry of Public Security dismantled at least 9 cryptocurrency fraud hubs last week, resulting in 276 arrests in total, including 1 additional person arrested by the Royal Thai Police. The DOJ announcement on the same day also stated that 6 defendants have been charged in the U.S. District Court in San Diego with federal fraud and money laundering crimes.

According to the Los Angeles Times, a 22-year-old man from Newport Beach, Evan Tangeman, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison on April 30 for laundering money for a crypto fraud ring. Tangeman admitted to washing at least $3.5 million for the group, which stole over $263 million in

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a coordinated international operation led by Dubai police dismantled at least 9 cryptocurrency fraud centers and arrested 276 people last week (April 30), with participation from the FBI and China's Ministry of Public Security. An additional person was ar

Bitcoin (BTC) makes a modest bounce back, trading around $76,390 as of April 30. Meta, with support from Stripe, has started offering stablecoin payments to some creators. Celsius founder Alex Mashinsky reached a $10 million settlement agreement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and is permanently barred from working in the cryptocurrency industry.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago rapper Lil Zay Osama (Isaiah Dukes) and five others were charged by a federal grand jury on April 16 with robbery and kidnapping related to a cryptocurrency heist. On March 8, three suspects disguised as food delivery workers armed with guns broke into a r

According to The Block, the Federal Trade Commission filed a $4.7 billion judgment against former Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky on Tuesday (April 28), with most of the penalty suspended. Mashinsky must pay $10 million in restitution unless additional undisclosed assets or financial misstatements are di

Dozens of Chinese citizens protested outside the National Bank of Cambodia in Phnom Penh, demanding that the funds in Huikang Pay’s payment accounts be unfrozen. The protest escalated into physical clashes, resulting in injuries. Huikang Pay is linked to cross-border scam and money laundering, and Cambodia’s central bank revoked its license and froze its accounts on a large scale. China accuses former chairman Li Xiong of being the core figure behind the syndicate, with ties to the Taizi Group. The crackdown actions have also simultaneously highlighted the funding risks faced by legitimate users and the lengthy legal procedures.

According to an FTC filing on Tuesday (April 28), the Federal Trade Commission entered a $4.7 billion judgment against former Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky, with most of the amount suspended. Mashinsky is required to pay $10 million unless he failed to disclose material assets or made misstatements

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint against crypto executive Donald Basile and his companies GIBF GP Inc. and Monsoon Blockchain Corporation for allegedly conducting a $16 million fraudulent securities offering. According to the SEC, Basile offered investors Simple