Hello! It’s October 1, and we’re tracking today’s top stories: Women in Gaza promised food, money or work in exchange for sex, Top Trump Aides Push for Ousting Maduro From Power in Venezuela, Scam kingpins who ran billion-dollar criminal empire sentenced to death in China, Family of Spanish Restaurateurs Sold Sanctioned Dual-Use Chemicals to Russia, and much more… 

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🎯 FEATURED STORY

Women in Gaza promised food, money or work in exchange for sexual interactions.  After weeks of scraping by to feed her six children in Gaza, the 38-year-old woman thought she’d found a lifeline. AP

🔥 TOP STORIES

Top Trump Aides Push for Ousting Maduro From Power in Venezuela NYT 

Scam kingpins who ran billion-dollar criminal empire sentenced to death in China CNN

🚀 Illicit Edge Original: Uncovering Pig Butchering with Erin West DESIGNATED with Yaya J. Fanusie

Tapas and Toxins: Family of Spanish Restaurateurs Investigated for Selling Sanctioned Dual-Use Chemicals to Russia OCCRP

Treasury Targets Iranian Weapons Procurement Networks Supporting Ballistic Missile Programs U.S. Treasury

The Wall Street Firms That Kept Ties With Jeffrey Epstein Until the End WSJ

Drug task force seizes record-breaking 1 million pounds of cocaine Fox

EU seeks to deploy Russia’s frozen billions to boost European arms sales Politico

Map Shows US Allies Watching North Korea’s Sanctions Busting Newsweek

Chinese woman convicted in UK after record £5.5bn bitcoin seizure Independent

Brazil Has a New Digital Spending Habit. Now It’s a Trump Target NYT

France Probes ‘Shadow Fleet’ Ships Suspected of Moving Russian Oil Illegally Reuters

Germany’s Merz Delays Decision on Possible Sanctions Against Israel Politico

FinCEN Announces Postponement of Residential Real Estate Reporting Until March 1, 2026 FinCEN

🚩 RUSSIA & CHINA

Colombia’s Petro fires own Beijing embassy team for ‘sabotaging’ China outreach SCMP

China replaces senior diplomat as questions persist on his whereabouts Reuters

Sanctions Fears Derail Russian Companies’ Plans to Raise Capital in China United24

Second Ukrainian Suspect Detained in Nord Stream Pipeline Blast Case RFE

Putin Fast-Tracks Privatization Deals to Work Around Sanctions Bloomberg

Russian Deputy Governor Arrested on Corruption Charges After Leaving Post to Fight in Ukraine Moscow Times

💸 CORRUPTION & FINANCIAL CRIME

Top African economies eye exit from corruption ‘gray list’ Semafor 

Corruption, charges and dynasties: Miami’s wild debate Politico

Georgia Weaponizes “Anti-Corruption” Powers to Seize NGO Donor Files OCCRP

Georgia seniors lose life savings in what officials call state's largest Ponzi scheme CBS

Algeria Jails Ex-Minister for $45M Social Security Fund Theft OCCRP

🔐 CRYPTO & CYBER

North Korea IT worker scheme expanding to more industries outside U.S. Record

SBI Crypto Hit by $21M Hack With Suspected DPRK Links CoinDesk

Crypto Regulator Adrienne Harris Resigns as Head of NYDFS Decrypt

Roman Storm seeks acquittal of Tornado Cash money transmission charge Cointelegraph 

Feds find 200,000 more SIM cards in N.J. after disrupting network that threatened UN General Assembly CBS

BNB Chain’s official X account hacked, CZ warns of phishing links Cointelegraph

🚚 TRAFFICKING

Federal officials target Twin Cities in immigration fraud investigation CBS

Delayed U.S. Report on Global Human Trafficking Finally Released Guardian

Human trafficking investigation at Dallas strip club leads to 41 arrests Fox

Ohio Police Arrest 135 People in Sex-Trafficking Sting CBS

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