How Tether became money-launderers’ dream currency

The stablecoin is fuelling a global shadow economy. And it’s never been more respectable (Excerpt shown below. To read full report, go to: https://www.economist.com/1843/2025/07/04/how-tether-became-money-launderers-dream-currency OR https://archive.ph/RGqy6) Reported by Oliver Bullough What may be the most consequential cryptocurrency investigation in recent times began on a November evening in 2021 in a defiantly offline location: the southbound carriageway […]

Mexico Passes Anti-Money Laundering Bill After US Accuses Banks

Reported by Alex Vasquez (Excerpt shown below. To read full report, go to: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-01/mexico-passes-anti-money-laundering-bill-after-us-accuses-banks?embedded-checkout=true) Mexican lawmakers approved a bill designed to better clamp down on money laundering, days after the US Treasuryaccused three local financial firms of facilitating transactions of companies linked to drug trafficking. The reform of a law to prevent and identify operations carried […]

Standard Chartered hit with $2.7bn lawsuit over 1MDB scandal

Reported by Owen Walker and Arjun Neil Alim (Excerpt show below. To read full report, go to: dc72d6163dcd) Liquidators who are trying to recoup billions of dollars siphoned initially from Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund are seeking more than $2.7bn from Standard Chartered, in a lawsuit filed against the UK-headquartered bank over its alleged role in the scandal. […]

U.S. KYC Update: Exemption Order Related to TIN Collection and CIP Requirements

Reported by FinCEN (Summary version featured below. To read entire order, go to: https://www.fincen.gov/sites/default/files/2025-06/CIP-TIN-Exemption-Order-final508.pdf) 1. A New Era for TIN Collection in CIP On June 27, 2025, the OCC, FDIC, and NCUA—with FinCEN’s concurrence—issued a joint Order that broadens the existing CIP Rule exception on Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) collection.  Under this Order, covered banks […]

She Thought Lady Gaga Bought Her Art. Then Things Got Strange.

Reported by Robin Pogrebin (Excerpt shown below. To read full report, go to: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/29/arts/design/lady-gaga-art-dispute.html) The email was signed “Stefani Germanotta,” Lady Gaga’s real name. The email address, ladyandkoji@gmail.com, referred to one of the pop singer’s beloved French Bulldogs, Koji. “I am such a huge fan of your work,” said the email to Emma Webster, a Los […]