Jibreel Pratt, a 26-year-old from Detroit, pleaded guilty to providing material support to ISIS through cryptocurrency donations. Pratt used Bitcoin to fund travel and violence for ISIS, while employing a VPN and encryption apps to hide transaction details. Federal authorities traced the funds through mixers and decentralized exchanges, leading to his arrest. Pratt faces a recommended nine-year prison sentence. The case highlights the ongoing debate around privacy tools in crypto, balancing legitimate uses with risks of abuse. Experts emphasize the need for compliance-aware design to prevent misuse while preserving financial freedom.
read more
CryptoNews Article 
July 9, 2025 | 20:20
July 9, 2025 | 20:20
CryptoNews Article July 9, 2025 | 18:07
July 9, 2025 | 18:07
CryptoNews Article July 9, 2025 | 13:35
July 9, 2025 | 13:35
Crypto July 9, 2025 | 13:13
July 9, 2025 | 13:13
CryptoNews Article July 9, 2025 | 09:36
July 9, 2025 | 09:36
News Article July 8, 2025 | 13:02
July 8, 2025 | 13:02
News Article July 6, 2025 | 17:05
July 6, 2025 | 17:05DOJ
0 in Finance and 6 in Crypto last week
Judge Blocks Key Crypto Ruling in Tornado Cash Trial
Judge Katherine Polk Failla ruled that the Van Loon v. Treasury decision, which found immutable smart contracts are not property, cannot be mentioned in Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm’s upcoming trial. Storm faces charges of money laundering, sanctions evasion, and operating an unlicensed money transmitter. The judge deemed the Van Loon case irrelevant and potentially confusing for jurors, despite its significance in limiting OFAC’s authority. The trial, beginning July 14, will test whether developers can be held criminally liable for how their code is used. Prosecutors argue Storm’s post-sanctions actions, including a $12 million token sale, demonstrate intent. If convicted, Storm could face up to 45 years in prison.
read moreOmegaPro Execs Charged in $650M Crypto Scam
Michael Shannon Sims and Juan Carlos Reynoso, executives of OmegaPro, have been indicted for running a $650 million global fraud scheme masked as a forex and crypto trading platform. The DOJ alleges the pair used multi-level marketing tactics, false promises of triple-digit returns, and extravagant events to attract victims before siphoning funds into controlled wallets. Withdrawals were frozen in late 2022, and despite assurances, investors never regained access. The case follows a broader crackdown on crypto fraud, including recent sentencing in the Gotbit wash trading case. If convicted, Sims and Reynoso face up to 20 years per charge.
read moreCrypto Groups Challenge DOJ Over Money Transmission Laws
A coalition of crypto advocacy groups, including Paradigm, the DeFi Education Fund, and the Blockchain Association, has filed an amicus brief in support of a developer facing DOJ prosecution under money transmission laws. The groups contend that the DOJ is misapplying Section 1960 of title 18 of the US Code, originally designed for unlicensed money transmitters, to target open-source software developers. The case could have far-reaching implications for the DeFi ecosystem and the broader crypto industry, as it challenges the DOJ’s regulatory overreach. The outcome may influence how decentralized technologies are treated under existing financial laws.
read moreUS Charges Two in $650M Crypto Fraud Scheme OmegaPro
The US Department of Justice has indicted Michael Shannon Sims and Juan Carlos Reynoso for operating OmegaPro, a fraudulent crypto investment scheme that promised unrealistic 300% returns. According to the DOJ, the defendants deceived investors globally, amassing over $650 million in illicit gains. Matthew Galeotti, head of the DOJ’s Criminal Division, accused the pair of exploiting vulnerable individuals with false assurances of safety and high profits. The case, unsealed in Puerto Rico, highlights growing regulatory scrutiny over crypto-related scams.
read moreDOJ Exposes PageTurner’s Fraud Targeting 800 Authors
The DOJ has revealed that PageTurner, an author services firm, allegedly deceived more than 800 aspiring authors by luring them with false promises of mainstream success and lucrative Netflix deals. The company is accused of exploiting writers’ ambitions through misleading claims, leading to significant financial losses for victims. This case underscores the risks of predatory schemes in the publishing world and the need for greater scrutiny of such services. Authorities are now investigating the extent of the fraud and potential legal consequences for PageTurner.
read moreNigerian Scammer Pleads Guilty to $6M Inheritance Fraud
Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, a 41-year-old Nigerian citizen, has pleaded guilty to running a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded over 400 elderly or vulnerable Americans out of more than $6 million. The scam involved sending fake letters claiming victims had inherited millions from a deceased relative abroad, then demanding fees and taxes to release the non-existent funds. The DOJ highlighted the case as an example of successful international cooperation in combating cross-border financial crimes. Akhimie faces a maximum 20-year sentence for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, with authorities vowing continued pursuit of such transnational criminals targeting U.S. consumers.
read moreScammer Steals $250K in Crypto via Political Impersonation
A Nigerian national allegedly posed as a Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee official, using a lookalike email domain to trick a donor into transferring $250,000 in Ethereum-based USDT. The scam exploited a barely noticeable typo in the sender’s email address, mimicking a legitimate domain. The FBI traced and recovered part of the stolen funds, while Tether assisted in freezing the crypto. Industry experts warn that AI and deepfake technology will amplify such scams, requiring a cross-sector approach for prevention. The incident highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in crypto security, with phishing and spoofed domains remaining key tools for fraudsters. Political events and public trust are increasingly exploited, making crypto donations a growing target for sophisticated scams.
read moreNorth Koreans Steal $1M in Crypto via Fake IT Jobs
Four North Korean nationals have been charged by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) for posing as remote IT developers at blockchain firms in the US and Serbia, stealing nearly $1 million in cryptocurrency. The group, identified as Kim Kwang Jin, Kang Tae Bok, Jong Pong Ju, and Chang Nam Il, used fake and stolen identities to conceal their origins. Operating initially from the UAE in 2019, they later secured jobs at an Atlanta-based blockchain startup and a Serbian token company between late 2020 and mid-2021. The stolen funds were allegedly funneled to support North Korea’s illicit programs. The case highlights growing concerns about state-sponsored cybercrime in the crypto space.
read moreNorth Korean Agents Steal $1M in Crypto via Remote Jobs
Four North Korean nationals posing as remote IT workers stole nearly $1 million from a U.S. blockchain startup, laundering funds through sanctioned crypto channels. The DOJ revealed the group used fake identities to infiltrate firms in the U.S. and Serbia, exploiting weak hiring practices in the crypto industry. Experts warn this reflects North Korea’s long-running cybercrime playbook, which includes ‘laptop farms’ to mask operations. The case highlights vulnerabilities in remote-first crypto firms that skip thorough background checks, enabling state-sponsored theft.
read more