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$100M Crypto Fraud, Huawei Dark Arts, and Moscow Spy Factory

Illicit Edge - Edition for May 22, 2025

Hello! It’s May 22, and we’re tracking today’s top stories: SEC charges Unicoin crypto platform over $100 million fraud, Huawei hires Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘dark arts’ spin doctor to beat off Trump ban, Russian spy factory, the fortress that China built for its battle with America, and much more…

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🎯 FEATURED STORY

SEC charges Unicoin crypto platform over alleged $100 million fraud.  The SEC claims thousands of investors were drawn in by “fictitious promises” that the crypto assets were backed by billions of dollars in real estate. Cointelegraph

🔥 TOP STORIES

Huawei Hires Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘Dark Arts’ Spin Doctor To Beat Off Trump Ban Free Beacon

The Russian Spy Factory NYT

The Fortress That China Built for Its Battle with America WSJ

🎙️Corporate America’s China Challenge Coercive Capital

Two Israeli Embassy staff members killed outside Jewish museum in Washington, DC CNN

Lamborghini-driving TikTok lawyer Akhmed Yakoob is charged with money laundering Daily Mail

Hacker who breached communications app used by Trump aide stole data from across US government Reuters

India's IndusInd Bank posts largest-ever quarterly loss due to suspected employee fraud Reuters

SafeMoon CEO Found Guilty in US Crypto Fraud Trial Decrypt

🎙️Unraveling Unregulated Payment Ecosystems FinCrime Unfiltered

Ron DeSantis Wife's Foundation Faces Criminal Probe Newsweek

Major Drug Bust in Italy, Albania Seizes Millions, 52 Arrested OCCRP

IN THE NEWS

🚩 RUSSIA & CHINA

Russian Foundation, Aimed at Helping ‘Compatriots’ Abroad, Supports Spies, Criminals, and Propagandists OCCRP

🎙️Foreign Threats & Information Warfare Coercive Capital

RFK Jr. calls WHO “moribund” amid US withdrawal; China pledges to give $500M Ars

Western countries reveal major Russian cyber-espionage campaign Politico

Ukraine pitches tougher Russia sanctions plan to EU as US wavers Reuters

🔐 CRYPTO & CYBER

Amalgam Founder Charged With Running ‘Sham Blockchain’, Taking $1M From Investors CoinDesk

A house full of open windows: Why telecoms may never purge their networks of Salt Typhoon CyberScoop

‘Deep concern’ for domestic abuse survivors as cybercriminals expected to publish confidential refuge addresses Record

💸 CORRUPTION & FINANCIAL CRIME

NY Prosecutors: FinCEN Opinion on Samourai Wallet 'Irrelevant’ in Roman Storm Case CoinDesk

Muslim Brotherhood-linked groups tried to influence EU Politico

🎙️Digital Terrorist Financing Designated

Humanitarian Aid Returns to Gaza—and Hamas WSJ

2 more Italian MEPs could lose immunity in Huawei corruption probe Politico

🚚 TRAFFICKING

'Drug-smuggling cat' caught trying to sneak into prison with heroin strapped to back Mirror

US sanctions two members of a Mexican drug trafficking group Cartel del Noreste AP

Mexican Cartel Turf War Forces Evacuation Of Exotic Animals AFP

Tigers and lions kept by drug lords as pets in dramatic rescue from cartel war Mirror

“Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it's really how it works.” —Steve Jobs

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