Happy Friday! It’s April 4, and we’re tracking top stories to take you into the weekend: Trump says China could get tariff relief if it approves TikTok deal, fashion startup under investigation for fraud, illegal luxury timber from Brazil's COP state makes its way to US and Europe, how North Korea cheated its way to crypto billions, and much more…

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🔥 WEEKEND WATCHLIST

Chinese Economic Espionage
Foreign Threats & Info Warfare
Defending the Whistleblower

🎯 FEATURED STORY

Trump says China could get tariff relief if it approves TikTok deal. Trump made the comments a day after he announced a 10% baseline tariff on all imports to the United States and higher duties on some of the country's biggest trading partners. Reuters

Russia not on Trump's tariff list Axios 

Trump sued over China tariffs Hill

🔥 TOP STORIES

This Startup Wanted to Revolutionize Fashion. Now It’s Under Investigation for Fraud. WSJ

Illegal luxury timber from Brazil's COP state makes its way to US and Europe Reuters 

How North Korea Cheated Its Way to Crypto Billions WSJ

U.S. Targets Houthi Link to Russia Newsweek

Treasury Secretary Remarks at FinCEN Iran Maximum Pressure and Counter Terrorism (IMPACT) Exchange Series FinCEN

Dem fundraiser ActBlue made donation standards ‘more lenient,’ received foreign contributions during 2024 election NYP

SEC Charges Three Arizona Individuals with Defrauding Investors in $284M Municipal Bond Offering That Financed Sports Complex SEC

Oracle Tells Clients of Second Recent Hack, Log-In Data Stolen Bloomberg

Deutsche Bank-owned asset manager DWS fined $27 million for greenwashing Reuters

Leader of Export Control Evasion Scheme Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison DOJ

How did young people go so wrong they cheer killers of Hamas? NYP

💥 RUSSIA & CHINA

U.S. Lifts Sanctions on Wife of Russian Oligarch Boris Rotenberg OCCRP

China Restricts Companies From Investing in US as Tensions Rise Bloomberg 

Paywall removal sites mysteriously redirect to Kremlin-controlled media outlet Semafor

Top Russian negotiator says US businesses would be welcome in Russia if sanctions were lifted CNN

💸 CORRUPTION & FINANCIAL CRIME

Netanyahu is rocked by a new scandal linking his close advisers to Qatar AP

Green Energy Company on Brink of Bankruptcy Months After Winning $375M Biden Loan Free Beacon

Judge grants US request to end foreign bribery case, following Trump executive order Reuters 

Accused Tech Spy Says Rival CEO Recruited Him With Offer to Be Like James Bond WSJ

US democracy at risk as corruption threats grow Brookings

Fed issues enforcement action with former employee of Banco Popular de Puerto Rico FED

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti takes stand in Spanish court on tax evasion charges NBC

🔐 CRYPTO & CYBER

Europol Dismantles Kidflix With 72,000 CSAM Videos Seized in Major Operation Hacker News

US sanctions 8 crypto wallets tied to Garantex exchange and Yemeni Houthis Cointelegraph

US, Australia, Canada warn of ‘fast flux’ scheme used by ransomware gangs Record

Lazarus Group Targets Job Seekers With ClickFix Tactic to Deploy GolangGhost Malware Hacker News

🚚 TRAFFICKING

More than 40 people arrested at Texas home amid Tren de Aragua investigation Texas Tribune

As IFC delayed a damning report on a Liberian rubber plantation, the owner sold the business ICIJ

U.S. revokes visas of Mexican band members accused of ‘glorifying’ drug kingpin LAT

Transnational Manager for Colombia’s Clan del Golfo Drug Cartel Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Conspiracy DOJ

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND!

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