HyperVerse’s Alleged Ponzi Scheme Raked in Nearly $2B, Hired Actor as Fake CEO

Reported by Jesse Hamilton HyperVerse was a nearly $2 billion fraudulent crypto investment scheme with a fake CEO at its helm, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and a grand jury allege in a lawsuit and criminal indictments against two of its leaders. The online investment business, which variously carried brands including HyperFund, HyperCapital and HyperTech, is said […]

Penalties Levied by US Regulators on Financial Firms Rose 69% in 2023

Reported by Fenergo Fenergo, the leading provider of digital solutions for Know Your Customer (KYC), Transaction Monitoring and Client Lifecycle Management, released today its annual financial institution fines analysis, shedding light on fines imposed on in the United States. The study analyzed penalties imposed by US regulators from January to December 2023, discovering a 69% […]

Jamie Dimon tells Davos that Bitcoin is a ‘pet rock’ that does nothing—except help with fraud and money laundering

Reported by PAOLO CONFINO JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon is done talking about Bitcoin—again.  In a CNBC interview from Davos, a visibly amused Dimon declared he was swearing off opining about the crypto currency. When asked about the new Bitcoin ETF the Securities and Exchange Commission approved last week, Dimon interrupted CNBC host Andrew Ross Sorkin, also of The […]

Tether responds to UN report about ‘illicit activity’ of USDT

Reported by HELEN PARTZ Major stablecoin firm Tether has responded to a United Nations (UN) report highlighting the alleged involvement of its Tether USDT $1.00 stablecoin in illicit activity. On Jan. 15, the Southeast Asia and the Pacific division of the UN Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) issued a report on the use of cryptocurrencies in […]

US SEC begrudgingly approves Bitcoin trades but warns investors it’s a ‘speculative, volatile asset that’s also used for ransomware, money laundering, sanction evasion, and terrorist financing’

Reported by Rich Stanton The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved Bitcoin exchange-traded products (ETPs) following years of opposition—though not without stern warnings about the “myriad risks” of investing in cryptocurrency. The news was greeted with enthusiasm by crypto-lovers and has led to a minor spike in Bitcoin’s value, with one Bitcoin being worth around $44,000 […]

Genesis Global Trading Exits New York Following Landmark Court Settlement

Reported by Oluwapelumi Adejumo Genesis Global Trading, a prominent cryptocurrency firm, has settled with the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS).  As part of the agreement, Genesis Global Trading will relinquish its authorization to carry out operations within the state. In a January 12 statement, Genesis consented to pay the New York financial regulator an […]

Fort Worth Company Accused of Selling $191 Million of Fraudulent Cattle Contracts in Ponzi Scheme

Reported by SETH MOREHEAD Fort Worth-based Agridime LLC has been put into receivership by a successful complaint from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC obtained a temporary restraining order, an asset freeze, the appointment of a receiver, and other emergency relief against Agridime on December 14, alleging an ongoing $191 million Ponzi scheme raised from more than 2,100 investors in […]

SEC allegedly concerned about money laundering via in-kind creates in a spot BTC ETF

Reported by Lockridge Okoth Amid ongoing spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) race, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been engaging with the institutional players in the race for approvals. By and large, the plain message has reportedly been that the ETFs do cash creates or wait, according to ETF specialist with Bloomberg Intelligence, […]