Greetings! It’s April 14, and we’re tracking today’s top stories: French cement maker convicted of financing terror groups to keep its Syria plant working, War Department officially launches new Economic Defense Unit to mesh military aims with global financial sway, How Hong Kong Helps the Flow of Iran's Hidden Billions, Inside Saudi Arabia's Billion-Dollar Bet on Hollywood, and much more…

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🎯 FEATURED STORY

French cement maker convicted of financing terror groups to keep its Syria plant working. Lafarge fined more than €1m and its former boss jailed for paying nearly €5.6m to groups including Islamic State. Guardian

🔥 TOP STORIES

DOD officially launches new Economic Defense Unit to mesh military aims with global financial sway DefenseScoop

How Hong Kong Helps the Flow of Iran's Hidden Billions WSJ

Inside Saudi Arabia's Billion-Dollar Bet on Hollywood Hollywood Reporter

U.S. asked Iran to freeze uranium enrichment for 20 years Axios

How Merck turned its wonder drug into a blockbuster — and priced out cancer patients worldwide ICIJ

How foreign influence hijacks American minds — and turns us against ourselves New York Post

FBI, Indonesia take down W3LL phishing tool The Record

Hungary's New Leader Promises to Dismantle 'Industrial-Scale' Corruption OCCRP

'Disbelief and disappointment': how Javier Milei's bribery scandal may have derailed Argentina's crypto investment Guardian

Spanish Prime Minister's wife charged with corruption after two-year investigation BBC

In Economic War, Chokepoints Beat Tariffs WSJ

Iran's $7.8 Billion Crypto Economy Finds New Way to Grow After Cease-Fire WSJ

Brazil's fugitive former intelligence chief detained by ICE CNN

Banks Are Warned About Anthropic's New, Powerful A.I. Technology NYT

ECB backs EU plan to centralize crypto supervision under Paris-based ESMA watchdog The Block

🚩 RUSSIA & CHINA

The return of Russia oil sanctions Politico

Philippines warns of 'sabotage' after cyanide seizure in disputed South China Sea atoll Reuters

IU biology researcher pleads guilty to smuggling E. coli DNA from China concealed in clothing shipment DOJ

Swimming becomes first major Olympic sport to lift restrictions on Russian athletes AP

🚀 SANCTIONS & TERROR

US on high alert for terror attacks as Trump's war hits home The Telegraph

How Iran, Suffering Under Sanctions, Diversified Its Economy NYT

Iran War Is a Boon for the Petrodollar WSJ

US lifts sanctions on Venezuela's acting president DW

Toll Booths and Tankers: How the US Navy and Economic Sanctions Aim To Squeeze Tehran RFE/RL

150M barrels of Venezuelan oil sold since January Semafor

Hezbollah official says the group won't abide by any agreements from Lebanon-Israel talks in the US AP

Iraqi fundraising drives linked to militias channel support to Iran and Hezbollah FDD

💸 CORRUPTION & FINANCIAL CRIME

In Talks With U.S., Cuba's Raúl Castro Leans on 'The Crab' and 'The One-Eyed Man' WSJ

Nigerian ex-oil minister rejects bribery claims in London court as defence begins Reuters

Viruses stolen from high-security lab cause stir in Brazil Nature

Social Security database added to Treasury's fraud-checking system FedScoop

Social media influencer sentenced to 6 years in prison for $20 million Ponzi scheme, tax fraud DOJ

Dutch Police Arrest 8 in Fake ID Platform Probe OCCRP

Ten Indian Nationals Indicted for Visa Fraud Conspiracy DOJ

🔐 CRYPTO & CYBER

Coinone hit with $3.5 million fine, three-month partial suspension over AML violations The Block

Why North Korea hacks crypto instead of evading sanctions like Russia and Iran CoinDesk

Bain & Co vulnerability exposed by hacker a month after McKinsey Financial Times

OpenAI flags software supply chain scare Axios

Hacker group threatens to release Grand Theft Auto VI data in Rockstar Games attack Guardian

Circle CEO Allaire defends decision not to freeze USDC in Drift exploit, citing 'moral quandary' The Block

Crypto exchange Kraken targeted in extortion attempt; says no breach and no funds at risk CoinDesk

The Dumbest Hack of the Year Exposed a Very Real Problem Wired

Crypto bill negotiations enter critical week as lawmakers return amid pressure to resolve stablecoin rewards The Block

Attacker mints $1 billion Polkadot tokens on Ethereum, steals just $250,000 CoinDesk

Kalshi wins temporary pause in Arizona criminal case TechCrunch

🚚 TRAFFICKING

A Journey Into the Heart of Colombia's Deadly Cocaine War WSJ

2 dead in U.S. military strike on alleged drug boat in eastern Pacific NBC News

Inside a One-Man Workshop for Ultrapotent Drugs NYT

International Sting in Spain Dismantles Massive Labor Trafficking Network OCCRP

FBI most wanted fugitive admits to child sex trafficking teen girl in exchange for lavish gifts New York Post

“You're only as good as your last haircut.” —Fran Lebowitz

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