Tether’s Ascension in Crypto-Sphere Follows New Political Alliances
Tether is accelerating its push into the United States, betting that political support in Washington, deep Treasury holdings, and a growing investment portfolio will cement its place in mainstream finance.
Leon Black to Be Deposed in Case Alleging BofA Ignored Epstein Red Flags
Leon Black, the billionaire financier and former chief executive of Apollo Global Management, has been ordered to sit for a deposition in a lawsuit accusing Bank of America of facilitating and profiting from Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation.
UK Fraud Reports Reach Record High, with AI Poised to Worsen the Problem
Fraud in the UK reached a record level in 2025, with 444,993 cases filed to the National Fraud Database, according to Cifas’s latest Fraudscape 2026 report.
HSBC and Standard Chartered to Receive Hong Kong Stablecoin Licenses
HSBC and a joint venture led by Standard Chartered are expected to be among the first companies to receive Hong Kong stablecoin licenses within two weeks, marking a milestone in the city’s effort to regulate the sector and strengthen its position as a global digital asset hub.
Senate Democrats Call for Hearing on OFAC’s Russian Oil Sanctions Waiver
Senate Democrats are pressing for a congressional hearing on the Trump administration’s decision to ease sanctions on Russian oil, arguing that the step could benefit Moscow even as the Kremlin is providing support for Iranian forces.
As Chen Zhi’s Pig-Butchering Empire Grew, So Did His Financial Footprint
Once celebrated as a philanthropist and real estate magnate, Cambodian tycoon Chen Zhi built a web of political influence and banking relationships that helped shield what authorities now describe as a vast transnational scam and gambling syndicate.
Iran-Linked Hackers Hit U.S. Medtech Company with Data-Wipe Attack
Medical technology company Stryker was hit by a cyberattack that caused a global outage across its systems, with staff and contractors reporting that the logo of the Iran-linked hacking group Handala appeared on login pages.
West Africa’s Growing Role in the Global Cocaine Supply Chain
West Africa has become a major and expanding logistics, warehousing, and redistribution hub in the global cocaine trade, with the market in the region larger than ever and increasingly damaging to public health, governance, and security.
FATF Flags Dirty-Money Risks of Offshore VASPs
Gaps in the international oversight of offshore virtual-asset firms have made it possible for criminals to commit large-scale fraud, money laundering, and terrorism financing beyond the reach of most supervisory bodies, according to FATF.
U.S. Launches New Probe into Binance Transfers Linked to Iran
The U.S. Justice Department is investigating Iran’s use of Binance to evade U.S. sanctions, according to new reporting by The Wall Street Journal.