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$1B Terror Fund, Bitcoin Winkleloss, and U.S. Hits Tencent

Illicit Edge - Edition for January 6, 2025

Happy Monday! It’s January 6, and we’re tracking today’s top stories: U.S. announces $1B to compensate terror victims, Winklevoss twins' Gemini to pay $5M in Bitcoin lawsuit, U.S. adds Tencent, CATL to list of Chinese firms aiding Beijing's military, the biggest peacetime crime – and cover-up – in British history, and much more…

💥 Coming tomorrow… Identity is Everything. The latest episode of Coercive Capital with Elaine Dezenski. Stay tuned!

Featured Story

🎯 U.S. DOJ Announces Distribution of Over $1B to Compensate Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism. “As many victims have shared, it is not about the monetary compensation, it is about justice. The dedicated team at the department has remained steadfast in the pursuit of justice for these victims.” DOJ

Top Stories

🌎 Winklevoss Twins' Gemini Will Pay $5M to Settle CFTC Bitcoin Futures Lawsuit Decrypt

🌎 U.S. adds Tencent, CATL to list of Chinese firms aiding Beijing's military Reuters

🎙️ Coercive Capital: Department of Defense Supply Chain Economics Illicit Edge Originals

🌎 The Biggest Peacetime Crime – and Cover-up – in British History Free Press

🌎 U.S. unveils Syria sanctions exemption to bolster aid relief Al-Monitor

🌎 How Chinese Hackers Graduated From Clumsy Corporate Thieves to Military Weapons WSJ

🌎 Two Indian companies indicted in U.S. for importing fentanyl ingredients Reuters

🎙️ Coercive Capital: Networks that Fuel the Fentanyl Crisis Illicit Edge Originals

🌎 Russia will send advanced space tech to North Korea Politico

🌎 Venezuela’s Dissidents Plot Comeback After Months in Hiding, Exile or Jail WSJ

🌎 Indonesia joins BRICS bloc as full member Reuters

🌎 TikTok knew its livestreaming feature allowed child exploitation Guardian

🌎 Nippon and US Steel sue government over blocked deal BBC 

🌎 Global Mining’s Dangerous New Reality: Guns, Hostages, Arrests WSJ

IN THE NEWS

China

🇨🇳 China rips U.S. over sanctions in hacking incidents targeting infrastructure Hill

🇨🇳 The Challenge for Made-in-America Bikes? Made-in-China Parts WSJ

🇨🇳 Accomplice of Chinese tycoon Miles Guo sentenced to 10 years Daily News

🇨🇳 How Huawei brought on a Sputnik moment in world trade WaPo

Russia

🇷🇺 The wild, AI-assisted biopic Putin doesn’t want you to see Telegraph

🇷🇺 U.S. plans more sanctions on tankers carrying Russian oil Reuters

🇷🇺 Putin Has Options for Russian Gas After Ukraine Route Closed Bloomberg

🇷🇺 Trump’s ambitious oil plans will not derail Russia FT

Corruption & Financial Crime

💸 Thailand moves to seize tycoon’s assets in $350M scam SCMP 

💸 UBS investigates undisclosed Nazi-linked accounts at Credit Suisse Reuters

💸 South Korean anti-corruption agency asks police to arrest President Yoon ABC

💸 France’s Sarkozy to face trial over Gaddafi accusations Politico

Crypto & Cyber

🔐 Meet the Chinese ‘Typhoon’ hackers preparing for war TC 

🔐 TikTok Brainwashed America’s Youth Free Press

🔐 New Orleans attacker filmed visits, wore Meta smart glasses during attack NBC

🔐 The new gray-area dollar in Venezuela is digital El Pais

Trafficking

🚚 The Next Drug Epidemic Is Blue-Raspberry Flavored NY Mag 

🚚 Drug traffickers, illegal miners and dissidents El Pais

🚚 Top NYC DOE lawyer urges donations for legal aid to migrants facing deportation NYP

🚚 Captagon, the drug that turned Syria into a narco-state El Pais

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