Hello!  It’s April 25, and we’re tracking today's top stories: Samourai Wallet founders arrested and charged with money laundering, McKinsey under criminal investigation over opioid consulting, Pentagon watchdog to audit $50M in U.S. grants to Chinese research labs, Arizona indicts major Trump allies for 2020 election meddling, and much more...

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🎯 Samourai Wallet Founders Arrested and Charged With Money Laundering. The pair developed, marketed and operated the mixer, which "facilitated more than $100M in money laundering transactions from illegal dark web markets." CoinDesk 

Top Stories

🌎 McKinsey Under Criminal Investigation Over Opioid-Related Consulting. Prosecutors are probing whether McKinsey or any of its employees obstructed justice. WSJ

🌎 Pentagon watchdog to audit $50M in U.S. grants to Chinese research labs. The Department of Defense OIG informed Senator Joni Ernst and Rep. Mike Gallagher that it was formally investigating the funding to Chinese research labs “designed to enhance pathogens of pandemic potential.” NYP

🌎 Arizona grand jury indicts Meadows, Giuliani, other Trump allies for 2020 election interference. The indictment, which includes felony counts of conspiracy, fraud and forgery, also describes Trump as an unindicted co-conspirator. Politico

📌 New Complaint Alleges Trump Campaign Hid Millions in Lawyer Payments Daily Beast

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🌎 EU's AML bill passes final vote – here's what's next for crypto providers. The European Parliament adopted new rules that would formally put in place due diligence requirements for crypto firms. Block

🌎 Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline remains stalled under cloud of sanctions. Iranian President Raisi's visit to Pakistan this week put the spotlight on a major deal between the two neighbors. Reuters

🌎 Argentina seeks arrest of Iranian minister over 1994 bombing of Jewish community center. Argentina’s request comes two weeks after a federal court determined that Hezbollah was responsible for the attack, with directives and financing from Iran. CNN

🌎 Billionaire Texas oilman inks deal with Venezuela's state-run oil giant as US sanctions loom. A company started by a Texas billionaire oilman has announced a deal with Venezuela’s state-owned oil company to rehabilitate five aging oil fields. AP

🌎 ‘ArcaneDoor’ Cyberspies Hacked Cisco Firewalls to Access Government Networks. Sources suspect China is behind the targeted exploitation of two zero-day vulnerabilities in Cisco’s security appliances. Wired

🌎 TikTok CEO Reacts to Law That Could Ban App: “We Aren’t Going Anywhere”. With the legislation now law, it is only a matter of time before TikTok sues to stop it, and the countdown clock has officially started. Hollywood Reporter

🌎 Camping Out at Columbia’s Communist Coachella. Ivy League activists, armed with melatonin gummies, gluten-free bread, and friendship bracelets, stand up against ‘the violent Zionist settler entity.’ Free Press

🚀 More news at Illicit Edge!

IN THE NEWS

Russia

🇷🇺 EU's proposed Russia sanctions to target oil tankers, ships moving North Korean equipment Reuters

🇷🇺 Moldova brings criminal case against pro-Russian Gagauzia leader to court Reuters

🇷🇺 UK rejects European Parliament’s claim Gibraltar is undermining Russian sanctions Politico

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China

🇨🇳 Lawmakers Ask IRS To Probe Chinese Funding to Anti-Israel Protests Free Beacon

🇨🇳 New CEO of Dutch chips champ enters US-China fray Politico

🇨🇳 Germany probes claims far-right MEP took payments from Russia, China Politico

🇨🇳 Judge orders anonymous jury for trial of self-exiled Chinese businessman AP

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Corruption & Financial Crime

💸 Germany arrests suspected members of Nigerian dating mafia DW

💸 Israel Tried To Warn Biden Admin About UNRWA – Top US Official Declined the Meeting. Free Beacon

💸 Katherine Maher’s Color Revolution. The NPR boss is a symbol of regime change – foreign and domestic. City Journal

💸 Par Funding is branded ‘a Ponzi scheme’; ‘insiders’ seek millions as investors wait Philly Inquirer

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Crypto & Cyber

🔐 Do Kwon's Huge Fine Shows the SEC Is Ratcheting Up Penalties Against Crypto Firms CoinDesk

🔐 Instagram fraudster 'Jay Mazini' has been sentenced for his crypto scheme that preyed on Muslims AP

🔐 Sam Altman-founded crypto project Worldcoin faces an orb shortage Semafor

🔐 Hackers are using developing countries for ransomware practice FT

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Trafficking

🚚 Eight dead bodies dumped near El Paso border as rival cartels battle over migrant smuggling routes NYP

🚚 Mexican villagers take on cartel-backed avocado farms as water dries up Euro News

🚚 Illegal immigrant twice released after child sex busts finally nabbed by immigration authorities NYP

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