A prominent Bitcoin Core developer has called for Blockstream CEO Adam Back to step down following newly released documents linking Jeffrey Epstein to cryptocurrency figures. The files reveal Epstein had financial ties to Blockstream and Coinbase during their early years. The revelations have reignited longstanding tensions within Bitcoin’s development community and cast a shadow over the sector’s formative relationships.
about Bitcoin Dev Demands Blockstream CEO Resign Over Epstein LinksU.S. Department of Justice
0 in Finance and 1 in Crypto last weekEpstein Invested in Blockstream via MIT Fund, Invited Founders to Island
Newly released U.S. Department of Justice documents have exposed a previously obscured financial link between convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the Bitcoin industry, revealing his 2014 investment in infrastructure firm Blockstream through a fund managed by then-MIT Media Lab director Joi Ito. Blockstream co-founder and CEO Adam Back confirmed the investment but stated it was divested within months due to conflict of interest concerns, severing all financial ties. The emails, however, also detail Epstein’s invitation for Back and co-founder Austin Hill to visit his private Caribbean island, Little Saint James—a site later central to his abuse network—and show Epstein expressing a favorable opinion of the Bitcoin pioneer.
about Epstein Invested in Blockstream via MIT Fund, Invited Founders to IslandFentanyl Trafficker Gets 12 Years for Bitcoin-Fueled Drug Ring
The 12-year prison sentence for New Jersey drug trafficker William Panzera marks a significant conviction in a case that exposes the critical role of cryptocurrency in modern narcotics supply chains. Panzera’s operation, which imported over a metric ton of fentanyl-related substances from China between 2014 and 2020, relied on Bitcoin and wire transfers to funnel hundreds of thousands of dollars to suppliers, illustrating how digital assets bypass traditional financial oversight to fuel a deadly trade.
about Fentanyl Trafficker Gets 12 Years for Bitcoin-Fueled Drug RingAI-Powered Crypto Scams Hit Record $17B in 2025
Cryptocurrency scams inflicted a staggering $17 billion in losses in 2025, a record driven by artificial intelligence tools that made fraud faster, more convincing, and far more profitable. According to a new report from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, AI-enabled scams generated 4.5 times more revenue per operation than traditional fraud, while impersonation scams—fueled by deepfakes—exploded by over 1,400% year-over-year. This surge reflects a dangerous evolution where technological sophistication meets organized crime, creating a crisis with profound financial and human costs.
about AI-Powered Crypto Scams Hit Record $17B in 2025Crypto Fraud Mastermind Arrested, $12B Bitcoin Seized
The arrest of Chen Zhi, the alleged mastermind behind a global “pig butchering” crypto fraud ring, marks a watershed moment in international financial crime enforcement. Extradited from Cambodia to China following a U.S. Department of Justice indictment, Zhi faces charges of wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy for operating a network that allegedly stole billions from victims worldwide. The U.S. government now holds approximately $11.6 billion in Bitcoin seized from his operations, representing the largest civil forfeiture action in DOJ history and exposing the staggering scale of organized crypto crime.
about Crypto Fraud Mastermind Arrested, $12B Bitcoin SeizedDoJ Indicts Ukrainian in Russian Cyberattack Groups Case
The U.S. Department of Justice has unsealed indictments against a Ukrainian national, alleging her involvement with two Russian state-sanctioned cyberattack groups that targeted critical infrastructure globally. The case highlights the growing intersection of international cyber warfare, cryptocurrency financing, and legal countermeasures, with the accused facing serious charges including tampering with public water systems and aggravated identity theft.
about DoJ Indicts Ukrainian in Russian Cyberattack Groups CasePaxful Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering, Fined $7.5M
Paxful Holdings Inc., the defunct peer-to-peer Bitcoin exchange, has pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges and agreed to pay $7.5 million in criminal and civil penalties. The U.S. Department of Justice found the platform knowingly enabled extensive criminal activity, processing billions in trades while deliberately avoiding anti-money laundering controls. This landmark case underscores the severe consequences for cryptocurrency exchanges that flout financial compliance laws, revealing a business model built on servicing illicit markets.
about Paxful Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering, Fined $7.5MChina Accuses U.S. of Illegally Seizing $13B in Bitcoin
Chinese cybersecurity authorities have launched explosive allegations against the U.S. government, claiming the seizure of 127,271 Bitcoin worth approximately $13.2 billion was unlawful and originated from a 2020 mining pool hack rather than criminal proceeds. The China National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center (CVERC) directly challenges the U.S. Department of Justice’s narrative, describing the operation as a state-level ‘black-eats-black’ hacking scheme that marks a significant escalation in cryptocurrency tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
about China Accuses U.S. of Illegally Seizing $13B in BitcoinChen Zhi Moves $1.7B Bitcoin Amid $14B DOJ Seizure
In a dramatic escalation of one of cryptocurrency’s largest enforcement actions, wallets linked to alleged international scammer Chen Zhi have moved approximately $1.7 billion in Bitcoin from recently sanctioned addresses, even as the U.S. Department of Justice pursues the largest forfeiture in its history—$14 billion in BTC from the same operation. The coordinated movements by the fugitive businessman’s network highlight the ongoing cat-and-mouse game between global law enforcement and sophisticated crypto criminals, raising fundamental questions about how authorities obtained the massive Bitcoin trove while Chen remains at large.
about Chen Zhi Moves $1.7B Bitcoin Amid $14B DOJ SeizureUS Seizes $14.2B Bitcoin in Pig-Butchering Case
The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated one of the largest digital asset seizures in history, filing a civil forfeiture complaint for approximately 127,000 Bitcoin worth $14.2 billion linked to Cambodian businessman Chen Zhi and his alleged criminal enterprises. The massive cryptocurrency haul represents the proceeds of sophisticated pig-butchering scams and human trafficking operations that victimized thousands across Asia and beyond, marking a watershed moment in the government’s efforts to combat crypto-enabled financial crime.
about US Seizes $14.2B Bitcoin in Pig-Butchering CaseBitcoin Jesus Settles $48M DOJ Tax Fraud Case
Early Bitcoin evangelist Roger Ver, known as ‘Bitcoin Jesus,’ has reached a $48 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice in a high-profile tax fraud case that exposes the growing tension between cryptocurrency pioneers and traditional tax enforcement. The agreement resolves criminal charges alleging Ver concealed his Bitcoin holdings to avoid paying exit taxes when he renounced his U.S. citizenship, marking a significant moment in the ongoing regulatory scrutiny of digital asset wealth.
about Bitcoin Jesus Settles $48M DOJ Tax Fraud CaseBrothers Charged in $8M Crypto Kidnapping Plot
Federal prosecutors have unveiled a chilling case that underscores the dark intersection of digital wealth and physical violence. Two Texas brothers, Raymond Christian Garcia, 23, and Isiah Angelo Garcia, 24, face federal kidnapping charges for allegedly holding a Minnesota family hostage at gunpoint to steal $8 million in cryptocurrency. The violent home invasion, which led to the cancellation of a local high school homecoming football game, is being described by U.S. authorities as a severe blow to community safety and a stark example of a growing global crime trend known as the ‘wrench attack.’
about Brothers Charged in $8M Crypto Kidnapping Plot