investigations
UK Financial Watchdog Increased Crypto Investigations by 74% in 2019
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the primary financial regulatory body in the United Kingdom, has seen a sharp rise of 74% in crypto-related investigations in 2019.
IRS Criminal Investigations Puts $625,000 Bounty on Monero Privacy Crack and BTC Lightning Network Tracker
IRS Criminal Investigations have put a $625,000 bounty on the heads of Monero (XMR) privacy and BTC Lightning Network (LN) transactions.
SEC Files Application to Compel Elon Musk's Compliance with Subpoena
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed an application to compel Tesla CEO Elon Musk to comply with an administrative subpoena. The SEC is investigating Musk's 2022 Twitter stock purchases and his related statements and SEC filings. Despite initially agreeing to testify, Musk later refused to comply with the subpoena, prompting the SEC to seek court intervention.
Singapore High Court Approves iSanctuary's Use of NFTs for Financial Investigations
In a legal first for Singapore, the High Court has granted permission to UK-based financial investigation firm Intelligent Sanctuary (iSanctuary) to use nonfungible tokens (NFTs) in tracking and freezing assets related to a hack. The NFTs, created in partnership with Mintable, will serve as a warning to counterparties and exchanges and enable real-time tracking of transactions from the compromised wallets.
Binance Reportedly Faces Investigations from Top US Federal Agencies
The IRS and the DOJ are reportedly probing Binance over tax and money laundering offences.
FTX.US, Founder Sam Bankman-Fried Are Under Probe by Texas Regulators
Texas Regulators are investigating FTX.US over its high-yield, interest-bearing accounts.
Global Governments Request More Personal Data from Big Tech
A new study by Surfshark shows that global government requests for personal user data from Big Tech companies such as Meta, Apple, Google, and Microsoft have been on the rise since 2013. The study reveals that Meta had the most accounts of interest from authorities, while Apple had the fewest. Most requests came from authorities in the United States and Europe and were related to criminal investigations and civil or administrative cases.
DeFi Exchange Developer Uniswap Labs Under Investigations by The US SEC
The US SEC is investigating the world’s largest decentralized finance exchange, Uniswap. The move is part of the regulator’s wider efforts to monitor and regulate DeFi projects.
Following Investigations in Brazil for Crypto Scams, Ronaldinho Faces Arrest for Using Fake Passport
Ronaldinho, the widely celebrated football player faces arrest for attempting to use fake passports to enter Paraguay after the scandal of his involvement in cryptocurrency scams.
CipherTrace Life Hack for Criminal Investigations: How to Know if Cryptocurrency Was Utilized
CipherTrace blockchain analytics firm has revealed guidelines that could help law enforcement identify that cryptocurrency was used for illicit activities.
US Seizes $24M in Cryptocurrencies Tied to Brazilian Investment Fraud Probe
The US Department of Justice has seized $24 million in cryptocurrencies following investigations linked to online investment fraud.
Venezuelan President Maduro Leveraged Cryptocurrency to Conceal Drug Ring Transactions According to US DOJ
Venezuelan President Maduro and 14 other high-ranking Venezuelan officials have been charged for their alleged involvement in a multibillion-dollar cocaine trafficking ring that the the DOJ claimed wreaked havoc on American communities by flooding the markets with cocaine for over 20 years. According to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Venezuelan officials had leveraged cryptocurrency in an attempt to mask their money trail on their alleged crimes
The French Army Validates its Judicial Expenses via Tezos Blockchain
The French Army has revealed that it has been using the Tezos Blockchain to authenticate its judicial expenses through a smart contract. This development makes Tezos the first blockchain to be used for operative intentions by a public entity.
Will Facebook Ever Be Able to Launch Libra?
In recent speculation, Facebook has acknowledged that there are several regulatory issues that are preventing the progress of launching Libra globally.
Crypto Exchange Refuses to Give Up Dissident Names to Belarus Government
Belarus government officials have demanded that a Kuna.io crypto exchange disclose the names of potential dissidents that have leveraged their services.
US Department of Homeland Security Can Now Trace Illicit Monero Cryptocurrency Transactions
The United States Department of Homeland Security will now be able to track transactions of the most privacy-oriented cryptocurrency coin Monero (XMR).
LocalBitcoins Seller Charged by US Homeland Security for Money Laundering
Kenneth Rhule, a localBitcoins seller is charged by the US Homeland Security for conducting an unlicensed money transmitting business. Rhule can face up to forty years in prison on account of fraudulent activity alongside illegal marijuana production and distribution.
Traversing Through the Crypto Regulatory Landscape in 2019
Blockchain and crypto regulation has seen its ups and downs in 2019, with endless regulators evolving along with the realm of the new technology development and use cases. From countries that view blockchain as a threat to learning to embrace the technology; let’s have a look at some of the major regulatory changes in 2019.