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Happy Monday! It’s September 16, and we’re tracking top stories to start your week: How Russia profits from Ukraine invasion through grain theft, U.S. Treasury sanctions enablers of spyware consortium, how a tourist paradise became a drug trafficking magnet, Citi COO relieved of responsibility for data compliance fail, and much more…

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Featured Story

🎯 How Russia Profits From Ukraine Invasion by Selling Stolen Grain on Global Black Market. Moscow’s war ‘is feeding itself’ as backers cash in on crops from occupied territories. WSJ

💸 Never mind the war, the French Riviera still loves oligarchs Politico

Top Stories

🌎 Treasury Sanctions Enablers of the Intellexa Spyware Consortium. Intellexa is a complex international web of decentralized companies that built a comprehensive suite of highly invasive spyware products U.S. Treasury

🌎 How a Tourist Paradise Became a Drug-Trafficking Magnet. Costa Rica’s lush rainforests are infiltrated by cartels on a quest to find new trafficking routes. NYT

💥 Over 30 killed in Mexico cartel stronghold as violence rages CBS

🌎 Citi COO relieved of responsibility for data overhaul following $136M fine. Citigroup is stripping Anand Selva of his responsibility for failure to address long-standing deficiencies in risk management. Finextra

🌎 Why isn’t Biden enforcing his own sanctions against Iran? Sanctions are not a silver bullet – patient, long-term follow-up enforcement is what makes these measures bite. Hill

🇮🇷 US Trade With Iran Jumped Last Year as Tehran Wreaked Havoc Across Middle East Free Beacon 

🇮🇷 Iran's President to attend BRICS summit in Russia Reuters

🌎 China Claims Chipmaking Gear Advance Despite Tightening U.S. Curbs. Chipmaking equipment is one of the key bottlenecks in China’s semiconductor ambitions, which the U.S. is trying to contain. Bloomberg

🌎 Guarding Crypto Is a Lucrative Business and Wall Street Wants In. BNY Mellon, State Street Corp. and Citi have made initial forays into crypto custody. Bloomberg

🌎 CEO of “health care terrorists” faces contempt charges after Senate no-show. Senators are pursuing both civil and criminal contempt charges. Ars

🌎 Death on the Costa del Sol: How the Double Life of a German Police Informant Ended in Tragedy. OCCRP

🌎 Are U.S. Airlines Effectively Boycotting Israel? The decision to suspend flights to Tel Aviv is contributing to the country’s isolation. So why are the three major American carriers refusing to fly there? Free Press

Russia

🇷🇺 N. Korean Weapons Sales to Russia Called Ukraine’s Biggest Worry Bloomberg 

🇷🇺 UK Conservative Party Advisor Lobbied for Firm Founded by Russian Oligarchs OCCRP 

🇷🇺 Russia Charges 2 More Military Officers With Bribery Moscow Times

🇷🇺 EU Envoys Tackle Solution for Russia Sanctions Extension Bloomberg

China

🇨🇳 Former aide to New York Gov. Hochul, who is accused of being Chinese spy, went on a tour of the White House Fox

🇨🇳 TikTok, Justice Department face off in court over potential US ban Reuters

🇨🇳 China is poised to amend its anti-corruption law for the first time SCMP 

🇨🇳 China hit hard by new Dutch export controls on ASML chip-making equipment SCMP

Corruption & Financial Crime

💸 Right-wing influencers say they were dupes in an Russian influence operation. They’re keeping their millions, for now. CNN

💸 Cornell prof who lauded Hamas attack as ‘exhilarating’ is back at school after dodging punishment NYP 

💸 Hearing into Man City's 115 financial charges begins ESPN 

💸 IRS whistleblowers sue Hunter Biden’s attorney for $20M, claim ‘malicious harm’ Wash Times

💸 Canada's AML regime even has the big banks worried Financial Post

Crypto & Cyber

🔐 Dark web researcher warned Ohio residents ransomware attack was bigger than mayor said. The city is suing him. CNBC

🔐 Trump's New Crypto Project Is a Type Linked to Organized Crime and Terrorism Futurism

🔐 SBF files appeal nearly a year after FTX fraud conviction CoinDesk

🔐 23andMe will pay $30M to settle 2023 data breach lawsuit Engadget

🔐 DeFi platform Delta Prime suffers $6M breach Cointelegraph

“Once wide coercive powers are given to government agencies, such powers cannot be effectively controlled.” --Friedrich Hayek

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