Greetings! It’s December 5, and we’re tracking today’s top stories: Russian oligarchs evade sanctions in Wyoming, legendary Medellín cartel drug lord released after serving 25 years, guilty plea in New York grandparent scam, UnitedHealthcare CEO was facing DOJ probe for insider trading when he was killed, and much more…

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Featured Story

🎯 U.S. Treasury Sanctions 5 People, 4 Entities Tied to Russian Money Laundering Group. One of the entities which helped Russian oligarchs evade U.S. sanctions is registered in Sheridan, Wyoming. CoinDesk

Top Stories

🌎 Legendary Medellín cartel drug lord released from US prison after serving 25 years. Ochoa and his brothers amassed a fortune when cocaine started flooding the U.S. in the 1980s. AP 

🌎 NY Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Transnational “Grandparent Scam” Operated from Dominican Republic. Valdez retrieved tens of thousands of dollars from defrauded victims at their homes in New York and New Jersey. DOJ

🔥 IE Originals: Uncovering Pig Butchering Designated

🌎 UnitedHealthcare CEO was facing DOJ probe for insider trading when he was killed in targeted NYC shooting. Thompson’s stock options had several years until expiration, and the sale of shares was his first since assuming the helm in 2021. NYP 

🌎 She Was a Russian Socialite and Influencer. Cops Say She’s a Crypto Laundering Kingpin. Western authorities say they’ve identified a network that found a new way to clean drug gangs’ dirty cash. Wired 

🌎 Mexico makes record fentanyl bust days after Trump tariff threat. The raids come days after Donald Trump promised massive hikes in tariffs on goods from Mexico. CNN

🔥 IE Originals: Networks that Fuel the Fentanyl Crisis Coercive Capital 

🌎 Far from the front lines, a spy war rages over Russian weapons. Aided by covert operatives, Russia’s weapons production is soaring. WaPo

🌎 Court Blocks Corporate Transparency Act: A Win For Federalism? U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued a nationwide preliminary injunction against the enforcement of the CTA. Forbes 

🌎 At least 8 US telcos, dozens of countries impacted by Salt Typhoon breaches. Anne Neuberger reiterated that Chinese actors are still inside the breached systems. Record 

🌎 TD Bank fails to meet expectations as U.S. sanctions sting. This is the bank’s first report since it was fined over $3 billion. Financial Post

🔥 IE Originals: The TD Bank Disaster and How to Fix It Designated

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Russia & China

📌 China slaps sanctions on 13 US military firms over Taiwan arms sale Reuters 

📌 We need a more agile EU sanctions regime to counter the Kremlin FT 

📌 EU demands TikTok 'freeze and preserve data' over Russian interference in Romanian elections Record 

📌 Sanctions on Gazprombank Imperil Uzbek Copper Mine Expansion Diplomat

Corruption & Financial Crime

💸 Eccentric millionaire killed in LA fire was ‘imposter’ posing as member of Rothschild dynasty NYP 

💸 Ken Leech Funneled Gains to IBM in Alleged Cherry-Picking Fraud Bloomberg

💸 Professional poker player pleads guilty to massive bettor fraud scheme CBS

💸 Basel AML Index 2024 Basel

Crypto & Cyber

🔐 Germany arrests admin of country’s largest criminal marketplace Record 

🔐 Europol Shuts Down Manson Market Fraud Marketplace Hacker News 

🔐 Researchers Uncover 4-Month Cyberattack on U.S. Firm Linked to Chinese Hackers Hacker News

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