Greetings! It’s September 9, and we’re tracking today’s top stories: China’s Huawei Technologies faces racketeering trial in New York, Drug trafficking investigation leads to some of the world’s biggest underground bankers, Gen AI Tools Are Now Being Used to Push ‘Slop Jihad’, Iranian Airline Favored by the Regime Is Defying Sanctions and Expanding, and much more…

***

Breaking News for FinCrime Professionals
Tell a friend to subscribe to Illicit Edge here!

🎯 FEATURED STORY

China’s Huawei Technologies faces racketeering trial in New York. The indictment alleges that, besides stealing trade secrets, Huawei and some of its subsidiaries did business in North Korea despite U.S. sanctions there and installed surveillance equipment that helped Iran spy on protesters during 2009 anti-government demonstrations in Iran. AP

🔥 TOP STORIES

Drug trafficking investigation leads to some of the world’s biggest underground bankers Europol

Gen AI Tools Are Now Being Used to Push ‘Slop Jihad’ WIRED

Iranian Airline Favored by the Regime Is Defying Sanctions and Expanding Wall Street Journal

US hits remaining parts of Iran's aviation sector with sanctions in latest move to isolate Tehran AP

Russian national could face up to 175 years in bank fraud case Washington Times

Ukraine’s prosecutor general quits after anti-corruption agents raid his office Guardian

CMS Cracks Down on Massive $3.4 Billion Medical Equipment Supplier Fraud Scheme CMS

Singaporean Ringleader of $245 Million Cryptocurrency Racketeering Enterprise Pleads Guilty in Washington D.C. DOJ

China-Based Artificial Intelligence Companies Conducting Industrial-Scale Distillation Campaigns Against U.S. AI Companies NSA/CISA/FBI

Former Swiss Banker Handed Suspended Two-Year Sentence for Corruption OCCRP

Philippine Ex-Speaker Arrested in $118M Plunder Case OCCRP

GTIG AI Threat Tracker: From Prompting to Autonomy – The Evolution of Adversarial AI Google

Organized crime driving illicit cigarette factory boom ‘in almost every EU state’ Guardian

🚩 RUSSIA & CHINA

Russian Gold Imports to Hong Kong Reach Record 100 Tons Amid Western Sanctions United24

Japan protests as China slaps new measures against exports of key chipmaking material AP

Trump administration expresses 'profound concern' over Ford's ties to China CNBC

Russia Turns to Sabotage, Cyberattacks Against Ukraine’s Allies Wall Street Journal

Before Waging War, Check Your Supply Chains Small Wars Journal

🚀 SANCTIONS & TERROR

European Nations Impose Trade Bans on Israel Over West Bank Settlements Wall Street Journal

EU pursues closer Israel ties on air defense and space Politico

UK publishes legislation for tougher sanctions on Iran over nuclear program Reuters

The Renaissance of the Dissident Republican Threat RUSI

New menace driven by young people online alarms EU security officials AP

The Rise and Fall of Global Jihadism: How America Contained—but Didn’t End—the Terrorist Threat Foreign Affairs

How A Resurgent Al-Qaeda Is Helping Militant Attacks In Pakistan RFE/RL

💸 CORRUPTION & FINANCIAL CRIME

Secretive DHS ‘Predictive Policing’ Unit is Analyzing Americans' Financial Habits and Pulling Them Over 404 Media

Temple terminates $55 million gift from school’s largest donor amid federal investigation into his company Philadelphia Inquirer

Murder For Hire: Details Emerge About Alleged Cross-Border Plot to Kill Twin Brothers in Cyprus OCCRP

Ex-ICBC Branch Head Gets 10.5-Year Sentence in Bribery Case Caixin Global

Husband And Wife Fraudsters Extradited From Jamaica After Wife’s Failed Attempt To Flee Justice DOJ

🔐 CRYPTO & CYBER

A Hacking Tool Built With A.I. Can Breach Phones Without a Click New York Times

Crypto platforms have lost over $3.63 billion to cyberattacks — even though most of them did security checks CNBC

Coldcard exploiter moves 45% of funds stolen from 'Wave 3' attacks, Galaxy says The Block

Slim Spider Steals Crypto Custody Secrets From Brazilian Financial Institution Hacker News

🚚 TRAFFICKING

Renoir Paintings Worth Millions Stolen In French Riviera Museum Heist Forbes

Rubio arrives in Latin America to push US counter-drug priorities with Trump-friendly leaders AP

US restricts government travel to Mexican border city over threat concerns New York Post

Hong Kong seizes HK$1.4b suspected drugs over summer as cartels target students South China Morning Post

Suspected migrant smugglers go on trial in Paris over mass drowning in Channel Reuters

“How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct.” —Benjamin Disraeli

Share Illicit Edge with friends!

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