• Illicit Edge
  • Posts
  • $300M Fashion Fraud, Pig Butcher Panic, and Jho Low in Shanghai

$300M Fashion Fraud, Pig Butcher Panic, and Jho Low in Shanghai

Illicit Edge - Edition for July 21, 2025

Happy Monday! It’s July 21, and we’re tracking top stories to kick off the new week: Fashion startup founder charged with $300M fraud freed on $1M bail, what banks should be doing to fight pig butchering, 1MDB villain Jho Low in Shanghai, and much more…

🎬 Join Our First Live Digital Event

📅 Monday, July 28
🕒 11:00 am PT / 2:00 pm ET
Register Now!

Your questions shape the conversation…

🎯 FEATURED STORY

Fashion startup founder charged with $300M fraud freed on $1M bail.  Hunsicker continued her fraudulent scheme even after the CaaStle board of directors removed her and prohibited her from soliciting investments or taking other actions on the company’s behalf. AP

🔥 TOP STORIES

Millions Stolen, Death Threats: Should Banks Do More to Fight ‘Pig Butchering’? WSJ 

Is Jho Low in Shanghai? Malaysia’s Anwar vows to investigate claims about 1MDB fugitive SCMP 

Iran to Hold Nuclear Talks With 3 European Countries Newsweek

Oil Cap In New EU Sanctions Package Signals Independence From G7 RFE

Ukrainian government raids anti-corruption campaigner, raising alarm NBC

U.S. cracks down on China with new curbs Semafor

China imposes "exit ban" on Wells Fargo executive Axios

How China Built a Global Port Network WSJ

Inside the Nobitex Hack: How the Iran-Israel Conflict Exposed Tehran's Grip on Its Crypto Services TRM Labs

Ecuador’s most notorious drug kingpin has been extradited to the U.S. CNN

Rubio moves to strip U.S. visas from eight Brazilian judges in Bolsonaro battle Guardian

Deepfake Scams Are a Threat to Humankind — Here’s How to Fight Back CoinDesk

How China’s Patriotic ‘Honkers’ Became the Nation’s Elite Cyberspies Wired

IN THE NEWS

🚩 RUSSIA & CHINA

Microsoft Stops Using China-Based Engineers to Support DOD Computer Systems ProPublica

UK sanctions Russian spies over deadly Ukraine theatre strike and cyber campaigns Euronews

Lawmakers call on DNI to review intel sharing with Spain over Huawei revelations Record

China Threatens to Block Panama Ports Deal Unless Its Shipping Giant Is Part of It WSJ

Russia’s Largest Banks Exploring Bailouts as Bad Loans Grow MT

USDA fires foreign workers from adversarial countries in national security protection move FOX

🔐 CRYPTO & CYBER

Indian crypto exchange CoinDCX hacked, $44M drained Cointelegraph

Cambodia continues raids on scam centers AP

Singapore accuses Chinese state-backed hackers of attacking critical infrastructure Record

Google Sues 25 Chinese Entities Over BADBOX 2.0 Botnet Hacker News

Crypto theft is booming as criminals increasingly turn to physical attacks CNBC

China-Backed Salt Typhoon Hacks U.S. National Guard for Nearly a Year Dark Reading

💸 CORRUPTION & FINANCIAL CRIME

Former HSBC trader has fraud conviction overturned BBC 

The Familiar Fingerprints of a Forgotten Art Heist NYT

Memorabilia dealer found dead after alleged $350M counterfeit confession on Facebook NYP

Public Corruption and Federalism CATO

India's financial crime fighting agency summons Google, Meta executives Reuters

Costa Rica Wiretaps Raise Questions Over Mexican Bank Takeover Bid OCCRP

UK Strikes Off 11,500 Companies in Crackdown on Fraud and Shell Entities OCCRP

🚚 TERROR & TRAFFICKING

U.S. lists Pakistan-supported Resistance Front as Foreign Terrorist Organization Long War Journal 

U.S. sanctions bosses of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang MH

French court orders release of Lebanese militant Georges Ibrahim Abdallah AP

Arms trafficking in Colombia threatens Petro's 'Total Peace' strategy UPI

El Chapo son's plea deal signals 'demise of the Sinaloa cartel CST

DOJ demands names, release dates of noncitizens in California jails as deportation efforts ramp up CNBC

LIVE DIGITAL EVENT
Hollywood to Reality: AI, FinCrime & What’s Coming Next
Join us!

Share Illicit Edge with friends!

They can subscribe here for free and never miss a story.