Happy Monday! It’s February 3, and we’re tracking top stories to start the week: Moscow has $2B stuck at JPMorgan, how a shady hustler in Dubai turned celebrity meme coins into a crypto grift, former Fed adviser indicted and arrested for espionage in dealings with China, Iran is funding Hezbollah via suitcases stuffed with cash, and much more…

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🎯 FEATURED STORY

Moscow Has $2B Stuck at JPMorgan. The U.S. Isn’t Sure What to Do With It. The money was frozen after payments alarmed DOJ investigators who found Russia, Turkey used nuclear plant to sidestep U.S. sanctions. WSJ

🎙️ Sanctions Warfare in the Trump Administration – with Juan Zarate Illicit Edge

🔥 TOP STORIES

How a shady hustler in Dubai turned celebrity meme coins into a crypto grift Insider

Former Fed adviser indicted and arrested for espionage in dealings with China AP

Iran Is Funding Hezbollah via Suitcases Stuffed With Cash WSJ

U.S. seeks to block Hezbollah ally from naming Lebanon finance minister Reuters

Raiffeisen Bank Clients in Russia Help Supply Putin’s War Machine Bloomberg

Musk calls USAID a ‘criminal organization’ that should ‘die’ Hill

How a Camel Herder Became Leader of a Rampaging Gang Accused of Genocide WSJ 

💥 Continued Fighting in Sudan – with Head of C4ADS Illicit Edge

Rubio bans Cuba firm that handles money transfers to the island MH

Dutch lender Volksbank fined for inadequate risk management Reuters

What DeepSeek, Russian Sanctions and Guitar Amplifiers Teach Us About Global Competition WSJ

China’s Evolving Policy Tools Against U.S. Sanctions Diplomat

Ex-Trafigura boss convicted of bribery in landmark case BBC 

The Illegal Drug at Every Corner Store Atlantic

🇷🇺 RUSSIA

Putin Approves Sale of Goldman’s Russian Unit to Armenian Investment Fund MT

Russian court places two former Rosnano executives in pre-trial detention Reuters

Ship New to Russia Oil Trade Docks at Port Shaken by Sanctions Bloomberg

Orbán on Russia: US sanctions good, EU sanctions bad Politico

🇨🇳 CHINA

Panama won’t renew Belt and Road deal with China CNN 

Chinese chemical executives cleared of US fentanyl charge, convicted on other counts Reuters

Singapore says U.S. firms should comply with export controls following DeepSeek questions CNBC

Managing the Risks of China’s Access to U.S. Data and Control of Connected Technology Carnegie

💸 CORRUPTION & FINANCIAL CRIME

Wells Fargo Executives Plot Life After $36B Punishment Bloomberg 

Trump Vows to Cut Off Aid to South Africa Over Land Policy Politico

Arizona Couple Pleads Guilty to $1.2B Health Care Fraud DOJ

Pressure grows on EU to freeze minerals deal with Rwanda over DRC fighting Guardian

Lucchese crime members plead guilty in $25M NYC illegal gambling operation NYP

Six more tennis players suspended for link to match-fixing syndicate AP

🔐 CRYPTO & CYBER

WhatsApp disrupts spyware campaign targeting journalists Verge

AI systems with ‘unacceptable risk’ are now banned in the EU TC

Pakistan-based cybercrime network dismantled by US, Dutch authorities Record

Former Polish justice minister arrested in sprawling spyware probe Record

🚚 TRAFFICKING

TikTok Influencers Leverage Power of Gossip to Thwart ICE Raids Bloomberg 

Why would ICE target a North Philly car wash for arrests? Philadelphia Inquirer

Trump ends temporary immigration program for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans CBS

Ecuador court doles out prison terms in $43M Albanian mafia scheme Reuters

What is the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 that Trump wants to use in deportations? Reuters

"A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others." —Jimmy Carter

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