Australian residents have been identified as one the primary targets of a sophisticated network of cryptocurrency call-center scammers — which are suspected to be run by Israel-based crime bosses. Evidence uncovered after a full-scale raid of four Serbian call centers and 11 residences by Serbian, German, Bulgarian and Cypriot authorities found that Australians were among the top countries being targeted. The raids saw fifteen people arrested and $1.46 million in cryptocurrencies seized, among others. Dramatic police raids in Belgrade, Bulgaria and Cyprus, following investigations in Germany, have uncovered evidence Australia is in the top tier of countries being targeted: https://t.co/zWv7I3N5Kg …

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission charged cryptocurrency lending firm Genesis Global Capital and crypto exchange Gemini with selling unregistered securities through Gemini’s “Earn” program. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission started the process of getting a default judgment in its case against Ooki DAO after the decentralized autonomous organization missed the deadline to respond to the lawsuit. It also filed suit against digital artist Avraham Eisenberg and charged him with two counts of market manipulation in connection with an exploit of the decentralized finance platform, Mango Markets. In South Korea, tax agents raided the Seoul headquarters of cryptocurrency exchange …

Siika Mileva, a spokesperson for Bulgaria’s chief prosecutors, denied political motivations behind the probe against the crypto lending firm Nexo, according to local reports. The comments were made in response to claims that the investigation had a connection to the company's political donations. Almost all cases where a prosecution launches an investigation that affects someone's financial interests result in attacks and accusations, Mileva said, adding that "it has become a national sport to attack the institutions." On Jan. 12, a group of prosecutors, investigators and foreign agents searched the company’s offices in the Bulgarian capital city of Sofia. The operation …

Less than 48 hours after a raid on cryptocurrency lender Nexo’s offices in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, prosecutors have reportedly charged four people. According to a Jan. 13 report by Bloomberg, authorities charged four Bulgarian nationals with forming an organized crime group, which may have included activities related to money laundering and unlicensed banking. The country’s National Police Service reportedly seized a number of assets as part of the investigation, including cryptocurrency, cash, and computers. Following the Jan. 12 raid, Nexo described prosecutors’ actions as a “kick first, ask questions later” approach. The company reportedly planned to file a …

Troubled cryptocurrency firm Nexo is planning to sue the Bulgarian government in the aftermath of massive raids at the company’s offices in Sofia. Nexo has complained about the actions of the law enforcement authorities in response to the investigation against the firm, the Bulgarian News Agency reported on Jan. 13. The company is reportedly preparing to file a lawsuit against the authorities to seek compensation for damages caused by the abrupt police interruption. One report suggested that investigators did not provide a search warrant for hours, while inspectors had never identified themselves. Nexo believes that the raids conducted in its …

Troubled cryptocurrency lender Nexo is facing more pressure from regulators as its offices have been reportedly raided as part of an international investigation. A group of prosecutors, investigators and foreign agents started searches of Nexo’s offices in the Bulgarian capital, the local news agency Standart reported on Jan. 12. The operation was reportedly initiated a few months ago, targeting a large-scale financial criminal scheme allegedly involving money laundering and violations of international sanctions against Russia. Citing sources of the Bulgarian National Television, the report alleges Nexo’s involvement in the scheme. The television also highlighted Nexo’s alleged ties with the government …

Assen Vassilev, Bulgaria’s Deputy Prime Minister for EU Funds and Minister of Finance, said the EU member nation is exploring options for rolling out a crypto payment mechanism. According to a Friday Bloomberg report, Vassilev said the government was in discussion with the Bulgarian National Bank as well as industry players to explore crypto payments “in the short to medium term.” However, he added that Bulgaria was unlikely to become a major hub for crypto miners — many are reportedly considering leaving Kazakhstan amid political turmoil and disruptions to the Internet. The Bulgarian government may still be one of the …

More than $6.5 billion worth of BTC — or close to 1% of the crypto asset’s entire capitalization — is held by 19 publicly-listed companies. A further 5.75% of Bitcoin’s market cap is held by exchange-traded products and closed-ended trusts. The figures are contained in a new study by Nickel Digital Asset Management. The 19 firms cited are worth a combined market cap of more than $1 trillion, with 13 based in North America, three domiciled in Europe, and the remainder in Turkey, Hong Kong, and Australia. Seventeen other listed companies have purchased BTC, however details regarding their allocations are …

Rossen Iossifov, the convicted owner of the RG Coins crypto exchange platform, has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for money laundering. As previously reported by Cointelegraph, a federal jury in Frankfort, Kentucky found the Bulgarian national guilty of conspiracy to commit racketeering and money laundering back in September 2020. The guilty verdict came after only a two-week trial period. According to the United States Justice Department on Tuesday, Iossifov and other RG Coins principal actors participated in an elaborate money laundering conspiracy that defrauded at least 900 Americans to the tune of over $7 million. As part of the …

Law enforcement officials from around the world hav taken action against a major transnational money laundering operation involving cryptocurrency. On Oct. 15, Europol announced a successful operation across 16 countries that resulted in the arrest of 20 individuals suspected of working for the QQAAZZ criminal network. The organization is accused of laundering tens of millions of euros for top cybercriminals since 2016. The funds are allegedly transferred through international bank accounts, shell companies based in Poland and Bulgaria, and via cryptocurrency mixing services. Around 40 homes were searched across the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Latvia, and Bulgaria as part of …

Rossen Iossifov, a 53-year-old Bulgarian national and owner of the ‘RG Coins’ cryptocurrency exchange, has been convicted of operating a multi-million dollar money laundering ring as part of a transnational auction fraud scheme. Following a two-week trial Iossifov was found guilty by a federal jury in Frankfort, Kentucky, of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to commit racketeering. The Kentucky resident will face sentencing on Jan. 12, 2021. The jury found that at least 900 U.S. citizens were conned in a scheme that saw Iossifov’s Romania-based accomplices post advertisements on popular auction platforms like eBay and Craigslist for high-value …

With the global air industry in turmoil due to pandemic-induced flight delays and cancellations, a startup in Bulgaria is providing the option for travellers to receive compensation in Bitcoin. Compensation via the Colibra app is available to passengers who experience a flight delay of one hour or more. The Bulgaria startup has been offering inconvenienced travelers compensation in fiat since it commenced operations in June 2019, but has now added crypto as a payment option. As BTC is a volatile asset, users can choose whether they want to lock in the price on the day they register for their flight, …