Happy Friday! It’s October 2, and we’re tracking top stories to take you into the weekend: Prosecutors allege long-running scheme to raise money for Hamas, Russian Financial Firm Faces New U.S. Sanctions, Police Shut Down KillSec Ransomware — Identify Teen Leader, Friendly-faced California tech CEO arrested by feds for hiding $300M Chinese secret, and much more…

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🎯 FEATURED STORY

Prosecutors allege long-running scheme to raise money for Hamas. Two brothers are among those arrested and accused of falsely soliciting donations for “the poor and orphans in Gaza” via social media. NBC News

🔥 TOP STORIES

Called a ‘Criminal Organization,’ a Russian Financial Firm Faces New U.S. Sanctions New York Times

New UK sanctions target Kremlin war chest, propagandists and torturers UK Government

Police Shut Down KillSec Ransomware, Identify Alleged Teen Leader Security Week

Friendly-faced California tech CEO arrested by feds for hiding $300M Chinese secret New York Post

Dual UK-Iranian national arrested over RAF Fairford incident BBC

From suicide bombers to positions of authority – the changing role of women in jihadi groups The Conversation

Operation Economic Outcast Takes Unprecedented Action Against Sanctions Evasion Network Used by Iran FinCEN

Iran likely to step up use of stablecoins as US sanctions tighten Iran International

Inside Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao’s Life After Prison New York Times

EU questions Binance over continued operations despite wind-down order Reuters

China-linked hackers impersonated US AI insiders as global race heats up CNN

FBI arrests Energy Department employee accused of attempting to support Houthis The Hill

Hackers stole Pentagon personnel records of over 3 million people BleepingComputer

Siblings indicted in $80M bribery scheme targeting Subway restaurant owners NBC News

Iranian accused of involvement in $3 billion hacking scheme extradited to U.S. CNN

Network of Fake Watchdog and News Websites Advancing Qatari Interests FDD

🚩 RUSSIA & CHINA

Putin says Russia won't supply diesel to global markets until sanctions are lifted Reuters

Researchers find Chinese hacking campaigns targeting AI firms, Asian governments The Record

DeepSeek and Huawei partner to develop AI software Semafor

Anthropic raises alarm over Chinese GLM-5.3 model’s elite hacking ability South China Morning Post

U.K. Sanctions Four Georgians Over Occupied Ukraine Visit OCCRP

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🚀 SANCTIONS & TERROR

US removes Syria from arms export ban as Trump draws closer to new Syrian government Associated Press

Burnham warned Rosebank oil field could breach West Bank sanctions BBC

ICC, insurer Axa cut ties amid Trump campaign against court Reuters

Global experts warn of evolving chemical security threats INTERPOL

Egyptian police arrest entire newsroom of investigative outlet over Muslim Brotherhood ties Reuters

Raids Across Europe Target Far-Right Network Accused of Producing Neo-Nazi Music OCCRP

Syrian government officials and Hezbollah held secret talks in Turkey Reuters

Nasrallah is Dead. Hezbollah’s Social Lifeline is Not. Cipher Brief

💸 CORRUPTION & FINANCIAL CRIME

Troubled S.F. housing nonprofit is shutting down amid investigation into deaths, financial dysfunction San Francisco Chronicle

Former Myanmar American Chamber of Commerce board member detained in Spain Associated Press

Turkey detains three opposition mayors over corruption allegations Politico

Ex-HSBC banker banned for dodging £5,900 in train fares Financial Times

Ex-Hungarian Minister Detained in $53 Million Graft Probe OCCRP

🔐 CRYPTO & CYBER

SEC Proposes New Rules On Crypto Custody Bitcoin Magazine

Bitget Hacker Turns to Zcash Privacy Pool After Near Rejects $50M in Swaps Decrypt

Warlock Ransomware Hits Large Spanish, Portuguese Orgs Dark Reading

The Secrets of the US Spyware King WIRED

Near Intents Hacked for $3.8M Days After Denying North Korea-Linked Bitget Hacker Decrypt

Cops Can Bypass iPhone’s Automatic Reboot to Get Into Locked Phones 404 Media

🚚 TRAFFICKING

Bolivian attorney general blacklisted by U.S. is arrested for money laundering and drug trafficking CBS News

Deadly cartels know where our border agents live. We have to protect their families. Fox News

Syria seizes 225,000 Captagon pills smuggled through Lebanese border Rudaw

Cannabis smuggling from North America and Thailand into Europe Europol

Lebanese army seizes 250kg of explosives smuggled from Syria The National

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

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