Crypto Fraud

Taiwanese prosecutors are investigating the death of Miffy Chen, a leading crypto forensics expert, who died in a car crash on 4 December. Chen’s work helped law enforcement seize NT$9.3 billion in suspected illegal assets from 60 fraud cases this year. Her death prompts questions: was it an accident, or is there more to uncover?

Crypto phishing scams are growing more advanced, using social engineering and malware to exploit social media users. Scam Sniffer reports attackers impersonate crypto influencers and use bots to mimic verification, raising the pressing question: Are scams evolving faster than we can fight them?

Stanislav Moiseev, founder of the Hydra darknet market, and 15 accomplices have been sentenced to prison for operating the illicit platform and crypto mixer. Hydra facilitated over $5 billion in cryptocurrency transactions before its closure.

Daisy Harris, an AI-powered virtual grandmother created by O2, is designed to waste scammers' time by engaging them in long, distracting conversations. While she can’t solve the wider issue of phone fraud, her quirky approach helps to frustrate criminals and protect vulnerable individuals.

South Korean prosecutors seized over $9.3 million in Bitcoin from a convicted scam operator who targeted elderly citizens and North Korean defectors. Despite his conviction, the scammer showed no remorse, stating he “did not regret” his actions if it benefited his family.

Nick Neuman, CEO of CASA, shared on X how he was targeted by a scammer impersonating Coinbase support to steal his Bitcoin. When confronted, the fraudster revealed their operation, which involved using leaked databases, phishing emails, and tools like Tornado Cash to launder stolen funds.

Of the five indicted in the FTX case, three are in prison, one received time served, and now focus shifts to co-founder Gary Wang. Set for sentencing on 20 November, will he face a harsh penalty or leniency?

Nepal's cryptocurrency ban has led to an increase in fraud, with criminals using digital assets to launder money and exploit victims through online scams. The government's legal restrictions have made it difficult for victims to report fraud, further complicating efforts to tackle the issue.

The FTX bankruptcy estate claims SBF’s $1.76 billion repurchase deal with Binance in July 2021 was a fraudulent transfer due to FTX’s insolvency. The lawsuit seeks to recover billions for FTX creditors, alleging the transaction was fraudulent.

The fraudsters stole $21.6 million from 40,000 investors to fund a lavish lifestyle, including $100,000 on sex workers. Some were sentenced, others acquitted, with investigations ongoing.