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Hello Wednesday!  It’s July 17, and we’re tracking today's top stories: PwC weighs halving of China financial services audit staff, Switzerland opens dozens of Russian sanctions cases, DHS IG investigates Secret Service handling of Trump security, AMP ordered to furnish donor documents in Virginia terror financing probe, and much more...      

Visit Illicit Edge for the latest news and real-time updates!

Featured Story

🎯 PwC weighs halving of China financial services audit staff. China is examining PwC's role in Evergrande's accounting practices after regulator accused the developer of $78B fraud. Reuters 

Top Stories

🌎 Switzerland opens dozens of Russian sanctions cases. Switzerland has opened investigations into more than 50 cases of sanctions violations and has found breaches in 15 so far. Reuters

🌎 Homeland Security IG investigates Secret Service handling of Trump security. The shooting has raised questions about how the gunman was able to climb onto a roof with a clear line of site to Trump. AP

💥 A Compromised Secret Service City Journal

💥 Right-wingers use Trump shooting to attack DEI WaPo

🌎 'American Muslims for Palestine' Ordered to Furnish Donor Documents in Virginia Terror Financing Probe. Leading anti-Israel group must open its books amid probe from AG Jason Miyares. Free Beacon

🌎 Binance Exec Tigran Gambaryan Wheeled into Nigerian Court as Health Deteriorates. Gambaryan was first placed under home detention but later transferred to the notoriously dangerous Kuje prison. CoinDesk

🧐 Left to Rot: Why Won’t the U.S. Government Step Up to Save Tigran Gambaryan? Illicit Edge

🌎 There’s a Russian market selling faces for BTC to bypass KYC. Online Russian vendors are promoting ‘face fraud’ by selling anonymous headshots to fraudsters who want to bypass KYC checks. Protos

🌎 U.S sanctions accountants, firms linked to notorious Mexico cartel for timeshare scams. The new sanctions come after the U.S. in 2023 sanctioned members of the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel. CBS

📌 Operation Sweetness: Paraguay finds 4 tons of cocaine stashed in sugar in its biggest drug bust AP

🌎 Ex-Goldman Banker Extradited to NY in Ghana Bribery Case. Berko’s extradition comes four years after the onetime Goldman VP was charged. Bloomberg

🌎 Exiled Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui found guilty. Guo used money raised from victims as his personal piggy bank to maintain luxurious lifestyle in the U.S. CNN

🌎 Overshadowed by a Senator, Two Businessmen Were Convicted With Menendez. The businessmen did not deny giving Senator Robert Menendez and his wife valuables. NYT

IN THE NEWS

Russia

🇷🇺 Lukoil Supply to Hungary Halted as Ukraine Hardens Sanctions Bloomberg

🇷🇺 UK, EU States Plan Response to Election Interference by Russia Bloomberg

🇷🇺 Putin wants to strengthen a big challenger to Western dominance BI

🇷🇺 Greek navy extends advisory to curb Russian oil ship-to-ship transfers Reuters

🇷🇺 German sentenced for selling electronics to Russia for military use Reuters

🇷🇺 Japan Rocked by Military Leaks Scandal Amid Russia, China Threat Newsweek

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China

🇨🇳 China Investors Can Now Trade Saudi Stocks on Two ETFs Bloomberg

🇨🇳 U.S. Floats Tougher Trade Curbs in Chip Crackdown on China Reuters

🇨🇳 Huawei just built a $1.4B chip center as it faces U.S. sanctions Quartz

🇨🇳 The US can use broken climate agreements to rein in China and Russia Hill

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Corruption & Financial Crime

💸 Former Syrian Official in Charge of Notorious Prison Is Arrested in LA Newser

💸 Ex-CIA Official Accused of Helping South Korea for Luxury Bags AP

💸 Venice mayor under investigation in wide-ranging corruption scandal AP

💸 Key operation strikes major blow against West African financial crime Interpol

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Crypto & Cyber

🔐 AT&T ransom laundered through mixers, gambling services Record

🔐 Defi Protocol LI.FI Struck by $11M Exploit CoinDesk

🔐 California law allows scammer to add six Tether execs to startup Protos

🔐 Hong Kong flags 7 unregulated crypto exchanges for noncompliance Cointelegraph

"Expect problems and eat them for breakfast." 
--Alfred A. Montapert 

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