SANCTIONS
EU Council Expands Sanctions on Crypto Wallets, Targeting Russian Officials
The European Union Council has imposed another round of sanctions on Russia with an extended ban on crypto-focused transactions for already blacklisted Russian individuals and their relatives.
The Russia-Ukraine War Might Accelerate CBDC Issuance, Former BOJ Official Says
The sanctions slapped on Russia based on its invasion of Ukraine might prompt more nations to adopt CBDCs as a shield against the U.S. dollar’s supremacy in the global financial system.
Mastercard Pulls Russian Banks from its Payment Network
American payment services giant Mastercard has cut off Russian financial institutions from its payment network.
The US Treasury Department Imposes Sanction on Suex Crypto Exchange, Accused of Facilitating Ransomware Transactions
The US Treasury Department said in a statement that Suex cryptocurrency exchange has been aiding ransomware actors to attack businesses and government entities.
Jury Trial will Decide if Ethereum Dev Nigel Griffith Helped North Korea Evade Sanctions
Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith has been accused by the US Department of Justice of aiding North Korea (DPRK) in evading sanctions and will now face trial by jury.
OFAC to Begin Sanctioning Companies Facilitating Ransomware Payments
The OFAC may begin sanctioning US nationals and institutions that help facilitate payments in a ransomware attack.
Venezuela Wants Citizens to Pay Taxes in State-Issued Petro Cryptocurrency
Venezuela is moving on a mandate that could see taxes being collected using its state-issued cryptocurrency—the oil-backed Petro. The effort is part of a nation-wide campaign to create mainstream use cases for Venezuela’s cryptocurrency.
Ethereum Developer Indicted for Blockchain and Crypto Expertise Sharing in North Korea
A judge has ruled that the U.S. Department of Justice has enough evidence to move to trial against Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith after he allegedly aided in the circumvention of U.S. Sanctions that have been placed on the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea.
UN Investigates North Korea on Cyberattacks Funding WMD
The U.N. experts are currently investigating 35 cases in 17 countries where North Koreas were using cyberattacks to raise money for the military objective.