Hello! It’s January 13, and we’re tracking today’s top stories: Iran's Revolutionary Guard moved $1B through UK-registered crypto exchanges, How the Cartels Win, Venezuela’s Hizbollah connection, Researchers Uncover Service Providers Fueling Industrial-Scale Pig Butchering Fraud, and much more…

Powered by:

🎯 FEATURED STORY

Iran's Revolutionary Guard moved $1B through UK-registered crypto exchanges. Zedcex and Zedxion routed funds between IRGC-controlled wallets, offshore intermediaries, and Iranian crypto companies. The Block

🔥 TOP STORIES

This Is How the Cartels Win New York Times

Trump wants Mexico to ‘take out the cartels.’ Here’s why that’s so hard CNN

Venezuela: the Hizbollah connection Financial Times

Researchers Uncover Service Providers Fueling Industrial-Scale Pig Butchering Fraud Hacker News

Dubai bans privacy token use on exchanges, tightens stablecoin rules in crypto reset CoinDesk

EU’s Kallas threatens tougher sanctions on Iran over brutal crackdown Politico

US says it will ease sanctions on Venezuelan oil Semafor

Russian Flags Proliferate Over Shadow Fleet of Oil Tankers Wall Street Journal

Prosecutors’ Vivid Accusations Against Maduro Belie a Complex Case New York Times

Tether freezes $182 million in USDT tied to five Tron addresses The Block

Legacy DeFi platforms lose $27M as hacking spree continues into 2026 Protos

Former Panama Leader On Trial Over Mega Latin America Corruption Scandal AFP

Cypriot president says he has ‘nothing to fear’ over corruption allegations The Guardian

🚩 RUSSIA & CHINA

What happened to Graham’s Russia sanctions? Politico

Why Russia’s economy is unlikely to collapse even if oil prices fall The Guardian

Uncovered: Secret room beneath Chinese embassy that poses threat to City The Telegraph

US abandons plan to blacklist Chinese-made drones South China Morning Post

💸 CORRUPTION & FINANCIAL CRIME

DOJ launches criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell, he says ABC News

Vance rolls out new assistant attorney general to root out ‘fraud’ nationwide Politico

Louisiana Trial Lawyers Steered Thousands to Judge Overseeing Their Case Against Oil Companies—Then Won a $744M Judgment Free Beacon

How ICE raids in Minnesota connect to a years-old fraud scandal NBC News

Investors look beyond Italy's real estate scandal Reuters

Amateur sleuth earns £2m reward for exposing research fraud The Times

Malaysia Defense Ministry to Overhaul Anti-Graft Framework after Procurement Scandals OCCRP

🌎 SANCTIONS & TERROR

Trump orders Iran trade embargo with 25% tariff on any country that violates New York Post

As The EU Eases Sanctions On Pristina, What's Next For Kosovo? RFE

Vitol, Trafigura offer Venezuelan oil to Indian, Chinese refiners for March delivery Reuters

Trump declares national emergency to shield Venezuelan oil cash Axios

🔐 CRYPTO & CYBER

The crypto ATM’s days in America may be numbered CNBC

India tightens crypto rules to fight money laundering and terror funding CoinDesk

Instagram denies breach after many receive emails asking to reset password BBC News

Tennessee orders Kalshi, Polymarket and Crypto.com to cease sports betting contracts CoinDesk

Verizon to stop automatic unlocking of phones as FCC ends 60-day unlock rule Ars Technica

🚚 TRAFFICKING

Human heads found hanging on a beach in southwestern Ecuador Associated Press

Atlanta rapper Ca$h Out ordered to pay $40 million to sex trafficking victim CBS News

DEA Chicago's new top enforcer discusses priorities, battling cartel influence in drug trafficking ABC

Mexico Rejects Trump’s Plea for U.S. Forces to Take On Cartels Wall Street Journal

Are Authorities Closing In on Olympian Turned Drug Kingpin Ryan Wedding? Rolling Stone

"Pink cocaine" is spreading in U.S. — and users don't know what's in it Axios

Hummingbird Live Webinar
Better Signals, Faster Investigations: A New Approach to Transaction Monitoring
Secure your spot!

Share Illicit Edge with friends!

They can subscribe here for free and never miss a story.