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Hamas Dossiers, Hacker Twins, and Crypto Takedown

Illicit Edge - Edition for December 5, 2025

Happy Friday! It’s December 5, and we’re tracking top stories to take you into the weekend: Creepy Hamas dossiers on aid workers revealed, twins with hacking history charged in insider data breach, International takedown of crypto fraud network, How Balkan Traffickers Used Fruit Shipments to Smuggle Drugs, and much more…

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🎯 FEATURED STORY

Creepy Hamas dossiers on aid workers revealed — including notes on ‘exposed clothing’ and ‘immoral relationship’. Charities appoint local Gazan “guarantors,” vetted by the Ministry of Interior and National Security as their liaisons because as aid groups can’t engage directly with designated terror groups such as Hamas. NYP

🔥 TOP STORIES

Twins with hacking history charged in insider data breach affecting multiple federal agencies Cyberscoop

International takedown of cryptocurrency fraud network laundering over EUR 700 million Europol

Cocaine and Bananas: How Balkan Traffickers Used Fruit Shipments From the Ecuadorian President's Family Firm to Smuggle Drugs OCCRP 

Europe’s plan to use $105B of frozen Russian assets tantamount to war, says Russia’s Medvedev CNBC

Pentagon announces it has killed four men in another boat strike in Pacific Guardian

The Ayatollah walks into a bazaar: Iran is shopping around to upgrade its armed forces, and China is the lead supplier Insider

Cambodia Shuts Down Group That Laundered Billions in Scam Profits NYT 

US Treasury slaps $7.1M fine on New York firm for managing properties for Putin ally AP

UK sanctions Russian intelligence agency GRU over Novichok poisoning AP 

Syria's growth accelerates as sanctions ease, refugees return, central bank chief says Reuters

Thailand arrests dozens behind online lonely-hearts scams, phony get-rich-quick schemes Washington Times

What to know about fraud allegations behind Trump's attacks on Somalis Axios

Iran’s currency falls to a new low as nuclear sanctions squeeze its ailing economy AP 

Trump admin sanctions bikini-loving Venezuelan actress with a taste for bad boys who meet gruesome deaths NYP

IN THE NEWS

🚩 RUSSIA & CHINA

EU Reaches Deal to Ban Russian Gas Imports by 2027 WSJ

Fresh sanctions on Russia seem futile - Putin is more belligerent than ever Sky

U.S. Suspends Some Sanctions on Russian Oil Giant Lukoil AFP

How Belgium became Russia's most valuable asset Politico

Corruption scandal rocks Ukraine as it fights for survival against Russia’s invasion PBS

US halted plans to sanction Chinese spy agency to maintain trade truce Reuters

Taiwan bans Chinese app RedNote over fraud concerns BBC

💸 CORRUPTION & FINANCIAL CRIME

Grand jury declines to re-indict Letitia James CNN

Haiti gang king ‘Yonyon’ gets life in U.S. prison for kidnapping missionaries Miami Herald

Trump pardons Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar in shock move Axios

Italians With Alleged Mafia Ties Doing Business in Slovakia OCCRP

Federica Mogherini resigns from College of Europe amid corruption inquiry Guardian

What to know about the long-running corruption case of former South African President Zuma AP

🔐 CRYPTO & CYBER

A New Anonymous Phone Carrier Lets You Sign Up With Nothing but a Zip Code Wired 

Sanctioned but Still Spying: Intellexa’s Prolific Zero-Day Exploits Continue Google 

Children as young as seven caught hacking - as former cybercriminals warn 'it's mainstream now' Sky

DOJ Announces Seizure of Tai Chang Scam Compound Domain Used in Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud DOJ

CISA warns of Chinese "BrickStorm" malware attacks on VMware servers Bleepingcomputer

🚚 TRAFFICKING

Luxury fashion firms asked for documents as part of Italian labor abuse probe AP 

Ex-Venezuelan spy chief alleges Maduro regime runs drugs, gangs, spies in U.S. Miami Herald 

Doping at your doorstep: The next Olympic drug crisis could be coming through the mail AP

Attacking Drug Boats: Bending or Breaking the Law? WOTR

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

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