Happy Monday! It’s January 27, and we’re tracking today’s top stories: U.S. hits KuCoin for $300M, how the Mafia weaponizes wildfires, dozens died in Arizona sober living homes from fumbled Medicaid fraud response, DeepSeek AI poses grave risk to U.S. economy, and much more…

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🎯 FEATURED STORY

KuCoin Pleads Guilty in Crypto Case, Agrees to Pay $300 Million. KuCoin’s negligence enabled billions in suspicious transactions, including criminal proceeds from darknet markets, malware, ransomware, and fraud schemes. DOJ

🔥 TOP STORIES

How the Mafia is weaponizing wildfires CNN

Dozens of People Died in Arizona Sober Living Homes as State Officials Fumbled Medicaid Fraud Response ProPublica 

DeepSeek poses grave risk to U.S. economy – unless we unleash American exceptionalism NYP

DeepSeek Hit by Large-Scale Malicious Attacks Futurism

Trump's sanctions could force Putin to negotiating table VOA

In China, a Cat-and-Mouse Game to Rein In Crypto WSJ 

EU is about to start suspending sanctions on Syria. How many are in place? Euro News

Trump’s Colombia Spat Is a Gift to China Atlantic

Sarkozy corruption trial shows 'nobody is untouchable' DW

Career DOJ official in charge of public corruption cases resigns Reuters

How a Vast Art Fraud Was Cracked NYT

Lawyer group urges overhaul to ease US process for setting up new banks Reuters

🚀 Get Ready! New Episode of DESIGNATED with Yaya Jata Fanusie drops tomorrow: The Financial Intelligence Enforcer.

Catch up on all our podcasts here.

💥 RUSSIA & CHINA

Taiwan blacklists Chinese-owned ‘shadow fleet’ ships Maritime Exec

The New Weapon Against China’s Mineral Dominance WSJ

Russian oil refining rises as US sanctions target crude exports Reuters

China Cracks Down Harder on Corruption. Businesses Are Scared. Barron’s

China detains suspect in human trafficking cases linked to online scam networks AP

Hungary backs down in EU Russia sanctions standoff Politico

💸 CORRUPTION & FINANCIAL CRIME

Tech couple that stole $60M claimed to work with the NBA, NHL, PGA, PwC, and Coca-Cola Fortune 

UK sanctions Belarusian officials and condemns 'sham' election Reuters

23 underground bankers arrested Europol

Chancellor could use £5billion of Bitcoin seized from AML probe into Chinese fraudster to plug economic hole Daily Mail 

Yoon becomes South Korea's 1st sitting president to be indicted Axios

Sri Lanka Ex-president's Son Issued Travel Ban In Corruption Case AFP

🔐 CRYPTO & CYBER

Why the rich love digital shoplifting Axios

Spanish authorities freeze $26.4M linked to European crypto gang Cointelegraph 

Dean Norris’ X account hacked by scammers selling meme coin named ‘Dean’ Independent

Remittance startups ride Africa’s migration wave Semafor

🚚 TRAFFICKING

Drug kingpin arrested in UK after wife posted lavish vacation photos online NYP 

Thieves blow up Dutch museum door and steal 2,400-year-old golden helmet BBC

30 arrested in crackdown on Chinese human trafficking ring in Spain and Croatia Europol

“It is legal because I wish it.” —Louis XIV

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