tamir | FinTelegram News

Author: tamir

February 20, 2025

FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE REPORT: Alleged Money Launderer and Crypto Daily Operator Alex Slavomir Bures A/K/A XXX RICO!

Alex Slavomir Bures, a London resident with deep ties to cybercrime, money laundering, and Eastern European organized crime, has resurfaced under the new identity "XXX Rico." Initially introduced to FinTelegram by the late cybercrime mastermind Uwe Lenhoff in 2016, Bures was a key player in laundering stolen funds from fraudulent online gambling and betting businesses.

February 18, 2025

Indian Authorities Seize $250 Million Loot From BitConnect Crypto Fraud Scheme!

Indian authorities have made a significant breakthrough in the ongoing investigation into the BitConnect crypto-Ponzi scheme, seizing over $250 million in assets linked to the fraud operation. This report provides an overview of the seizure, the methods employed by Indian authorities, and the potential implications for BitConnect investors.

February 18, 2025

Russian Cybercriminal Alexander Vinnik to be Freed in Exchange for US Teacher Marc Fogel!

Alexander Vinnik, a Russian cybercriminal, is set to be released from U.S. custody as part of a prisoner exchange for American educator Marc Fogel. This development comes after a series of legal proceedings spanning multiple countries since Vinnik's initial arrest in 2017. The 45-year-old Vinnik operated BTC-e, at one point one of the world's largest crypto exchanges.

February 18, 2025

Mauritius Ex-PM Pravind Jugnauth Arrested: Suitcases of Cash & Luxury Watches Seized!

Mauritius’ former Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth has been arrested on money laundering charges, just 100 days after his election defeat. Authorities seized $2.4 million in cash and luxury watches during raids on 10 locations, including his home. While Jugnauth is out on $32,000 bail, his co-accused remain detained. The case has divided the nation.

February 17, 2025

Investor Briefing: $LIBRA Coin – From Presidential Endorsement to Alleged Fraud!

In mid-February 2025, Argentine President Javier Milei endorsed a new cryptocurrency, $LIBRA, promoting it as a private initiative aimed at stimulating Argentina's economy. This endorsement led to a rapid surge in $LIBRA's value, with its market capitalization peaking at approximately $4.6 billion within hours. However, the coin's value plummeted shortly thereafter, resulting in significant financial losses for investors.

February 16, 2025

Investor Briefing: Stock Discussion Around Leading Bitcoin Investor MicroStrategy on X!

MicroStrategy (MSTR), under the leadership of Executive Chairman Michael Saylor, has become a prominent player in the Bitcoin investment space. The company's aggressive Bitcoin acquisition strategy has transformed it into a de facto Bitcoin investment vehicle for traditional investors. We asked Grok to summarize the discussion on X in an investor briefing. Here is the result.

FinTelegram

February 15, 2025

Inside the Global Online Betting Empire of the Murdered Turkish Cypriot Businessman Halil Falyali!

The recent OCCRP investigation into Halil Falyali's alleged illegal online betting operation unveils a sophisticated, multi-jurisdictional scheme that poses significant challenges for financial regulators and compliance professionals worldwide. With monthly revenues reportedly exceeding $80 million and a complex web of mule accounts spanning traditional banking, credit cards, and cryptocurrencies.

Politics

February 14, 2025

Weaponizing the Press? Elon Musk and Trump Accuse Reuters of Government-Backed ‘Social Deception’

In a recent surge of allegations, prominent figures such as Elon Musk and President Donald Trump have accused Reuters of engaging in "large scale social deception" on behalf of the U.S. government. These claims center around a $9 million contract awarded to Thomson Reuters Special Services (TRSS) by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) from 2018 to 2022.

February 13, 2025

Unexplained Wealth of US Politicians: Elon Musk’s DOGE Naming & Shaming Crusade Sparks Controversy!

The U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), spearheaded by Elon Musk, has recently intensified scrutiny of the substantial wealth accumulated by certain U.S. politicians, raising questions about the sources of their fortunes relative to their official salaries. This initiative has ignited a contentious debate over potential conflicts of interest, ethical governance, and the transparency of public officials.

February 13, 2025

Watchdogs or Lapdogs? OCCRP’s Murky Ties to CIA and USAID Raise Alarm Over Press Freedom!

The relationship between the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), the CIA, and USAID has come under intense scrutiny, raising concerns about the independence of investigative journalism and potential government influence on media operations. OCCRP, the world's largest organized network of investigative media, hid the extent of its links with the US government.

Court Cases

February 12, 2025

EXPECTED: Munich prosecutors drop some charges against ex-Wirecard CEO Markus Braun!

Munich prosecutors have streamlined their case against former Wirecard CEO Markus Braun by dropping several charges. This strategic move aims to expedite the trial, which has been ongoing since December 2022. While charges related to falsifying 2015 results and multiple counts of market manipulation have been dropped, Braun still faces serious allegations including falsifying 2016-2018 financial results and defrauding banks of €1.75 billion.

February 12, 2025

Investor Briefing: Crypto Custodian BitGo Contemplates Late 2025 IPO Amid Industry Shift!

Cryptocurrency custodian BitGo is exploring an initial public offering (IPO) potentially slated for the second half of 2025, signaling a significant move in the evolving digital asset landscape. This development comes as the crypto industry experiences a surge in public listing interest, driven by favorable market conditions and regulatory optimism.

The Unraveling of Rabidi and the Rise of the SoftSwiss Network: Our Updated Forensic Report

A few months ago, FinTelegram released a first forensic report on the bankruptcy of Rabidi N.V., a Curacao-registered online casino operator with hundreds of millions in revenues — and no traceable assets by the time of its collapse in May 2024. That report already raised serious questions about the opaque structures behind Rabidi’s operations and its successor, Liernin Enterprises Ltd.

DeFi Decoded: Smart Contracts – The Code Behind the DeFi Revolution

Smart contracts are the invisible architects of decentralized finance. These self-executing lines of code run everything from token swaps to lending platforms without middlemen. But while they offer autonomy, they also introduce new risks—bugs, exploits, and irreversible mistakes. In this fourth installment of our FinTelegram DeFi Series, we explain what smart contracts are.

CFTC

Despite New Crypto Friendlyness: No Settlement Between U.S. CFTC And KuCoin?

A planned settlement between the U.S.CFTC and crypto exchange KuCoin is now in limbo due to a reported policy shift within the CFTC. This change is attributed to the Trump administration’s new approach, which deprioritizes enforcement actions against crypto companies. As a result, a CFTC attorney said that it is "unlikely that such authorization will be granted in the near term" regarding the settlement approval.

SEC’s New Era: Paul Atkins Sworn In—Will Crypto Finally Get the Regulatory Clarity It Deserves?

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has entered a new chapter with the swearing-in of Paul S. Atkins as its 34th Chairman, a move widely anticipated to mark a dramatic pivot in how the agency approaches crypto and DeFi regulation. For years, the financial industry—especially the burgeoning digital asset sector—has bristled under the SEC’s “Regulation by Enforcement” strategy.

Crypto Mogul Changpeng Zhao – Fallen, Rich, and Rising Again?

As spring 2025 blooms and Easter’s themes of rebirth fill the air, Changpeng Zhao emerges as one of the most controversial figures of startup mythology: a man who fell spectacularly, paid a price—then rose again, wealthier and louder than ever. Once the almighty architect of Binance, CZ now resides in Dubai with a net worth that Forbes estimates at $63 billion.