Greetings! It’s October 15, and we’re tracking today’s top stories: Austrian bank takes center stage as EU pushes new sanctions on Russia, Chinese Criminals Made More Than $1 Billion From Those Annoying Texts, The Shake-Up at Al Jazeera, DOJ seizes $15 billion in bitcoin from massive ‘pig butchering’ scam based in Cambodia, and much more…

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🎯 FEATURED STORY

Austrian bank takes center stage as EU pushes new sanctions on Russia. The latest attempt in Brussels to slap Moscow with a fresh round of sanctions and force Vladimir Putin into a ceasefire in Ukraine has stumbled upon an unexpected actor: Raiffeisen Bank. Euro News

🔥 TOP STORIES

Chinese Criminals Made More Than $1 Billion From Those Annoying Texts WSJ 

The Shake-Up at Al Jazeera: Motion or Real Movement? RCW

DOJ seizes $15 billion in bitcoin from massive ‘pig butchering’ scam based in Cambodia CNBC

Myanmar scam cities booming despite crackdown – using Musk's Starlink AFP

FinCEN Issues Final Rule Severing Huione Group from the U.S. Financial System FinCEN

How U.S. Is Fighting China’s Rare-Earths Dominance Newsweek

China sanctions 5 U.S. units of shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean over probe by Washington ABC

Satellites Are Leaking the World’s Secrets: Calls, Texts, Military and Corporate Data Wired

U.S. revokes visas of over 50 Mexican politicians in new drug war front Reuters 

Cartels issuing bounties up to $50,000 for hits on ICE, CBP agents ABC

Stefanik, Cotton Urge Treasury Department To Probe CAIR for 'Financial Links to Hamas' Free Beacon

🚩 RUSSIA & CHINA

Dutch government takes control of China-owned chip firm BBC

Europe Moves to Use $232B From Frozen Russian Assets to Fund Ukraine United24

Chinese victims of convicted 'Bitcoin Queen' may have trouble getting their $7.3B back from UK government Tom’s

Sinopec diverts supertanker from US-sanctioned port Reuters

💸 CORRUPTION & FINANCIAL CRIME

Drake, DiCaprio, the Clippers backed this ‘green’ L.A. firm. It crumbled amid fraud claims. LAT 

U.S. Attorney Was Forced Out After Clashes Over How to Handle Russia Inquiry NYT

Tension over evidence builds between Comey team and federal prosecutors as January trial looms CNN

AI-powered fraud: Chinese paper mills are mass-producing fake academic research SCMP

🔐 CRYPTO & CYBER

Opening statements are set for MIT-educated brothers charged with swiping $25M in crypto in just 12 seconds BI 

Japanese Regulator Eyes Ban on Crypto Insider Trading Decrypt

NYC Mayor Adams launches first-ever city office for digital assets and blockchain Block

Chinese hackers abuse geo-mapping tool for year-long persistence Bleepingcomputer

🚚 TRAFFICKING

Drug traffickers gaining influence in Argentina amid Milei’s sweeping social cuts Guardian 

U.S. struck 5th boat accused of carrying drugs off coast of Venezuela, killing 6 CBS

A Southlake mother is accused of sex trafficking, shocking a wealthy and gilded suburb DMN

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