Here’s where it gets even juicier – the guy already pleaded guilty in criminal court and is serving nine years. Nine years! That’s like two seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm! And get this – he’s got to pay $213 million restitution there too. Guys like this make Bernie Madoff look like an amateur.
According to Waller, “There’s nothing scary about this just because it’s in the decentralized finance or DeFi world.” Yeah, because new technology that completely shakes up your old system is totally nothing to fear, right? Just some little techy thingy that records transactions. No big deal. 😏
This new coalition, christened the Beacon Network, seeks to thwart crypto criminals by alerting global law enforcement faster than you can say “blockchain.” High-risk wallet addresses will be flagged, and alerts issued to prevent baddies from cashing out their ill-gotten gains. Enter the supporting cast: blockchain sleuths such as ZachXBT, Security Alliance (SEAL), and zeroShadow, who will provide vigilance and intelligence. It’s like having Sherlock Holmes on speed dial, except he works remotely and charges in Ethereum.
Well, butter my blockchain, if it ain’t Ripple stepping up as a founding member of this here Beacon Network. Seems they’ve decided to join the posse, aiming to lasso those illicit funds before they skedaddle from the blockchain into the traditional financial saloon. Built with the help of lawmen, crypto barons, and stablecoin slingers, this Beacon fella is a big ol’ step toward taming the crypto wilderness. 🌵
Remember 2021? Pepperidge Farm (and every Chinese miner) remembers. That was the year Beijing ghosted crypto harder than a situationship. Three years later, the e-CNY is still stuck at the “it’s complicated” stage, while USDT and USDC are basically the Visa and Mastercard of the internet. Meanwhile, the dollar lounges at 47% of global payments, and the yuan? Sixth place-2.9%. Ouch. 🥉
Solana settled a $1.15 billion IPO in stablecoins. Wall Street yawns. Investors cry. Ethereum smirks. 🤡
CleanSpark and IREN received invoices from the CBP, like a stern teacher handing out detention slips. CleanSpark fears a $185 million bill if the agency stays stubborn, while IREN is fighting back with the grit of a determined squirrel. Both are scratching their heads, trying to trace their supply chains through a maze of confusion. 🧩
“Wanna buy some $S? Only $99.95, comes with a free side of regulatory uncertainty!” -Sonic USA LLC marketing pitch, right before they hire a CEO who hopefully remembers the Wi-Fi password. 🏢📶
Kraken, never content with only two blockchains, is letting Backed launch xStocks as TRC20 tokens on Tron. Like a dog with an impressive stick collection, they’re determined to gather them all. Each token clings desperately to a precise 1:1 backing with the original equity, ensuring you’re not just trading imaginary beans in a cosmic lottery. Eligible clients will soon be able to toss their xStocks into the Tron network and yank them out, presumably with less drama than fishing socks out of a washing machine.
Tyler Winklevoss, the slightly less shy one, took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to announce this massive donation of 188.4547 BTC. Apparently, their goal is to help President Donald Trump make America the “crypto capital of the world.” Because nothing says patriotism like blockchain and Bitcoin, right? 🧳🌐
