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in Money Mules / Laundering
the420.in
· 2025-12-08
A 62-year-old retired professor in Mumbai lost ₹1.93 crore ($231,000 USD) in a two-stage romance scam involving cryptocurrency: first, a woman named "Ayesha" befriended him on Facebook, gained his trust, and convinced him to deposit funds into a Binance account she controlled before disappearing; then a second scammer named "Koyal" contacted him posing as a recovery agent and extracted additional payments with false promises of restitution. The Cyber West Division has registered a criminal case under India's Information Technology Act, which provides for 3-10 years imprisonment for crypto fraud convictions.
newindianexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
The Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GTSEZ) in Laos has evolved from a purported tourist development into a major cybercrime hub operating elaborate finance and romance scams targeting English-speaking victims worldwide, a multibillion-dollar criminal enterprise. Founded in 2007 by Chinese businessman Zhao Wei and operating with minimal government oversight, the zone houses towers leasing to international scam operations staffed by workers from multiple countries who are allegedly coerced or trafficked into forced labor. Despite multiple crackdowns by Chinese, Laotian, and British authorities—including sanctions against Zhao Wei in 2018 and 2023 for trafficking, drug smuggling,
newsghana.com.gh
· 2025-12-08
The European Commission updated its list of high-risk jurisdictions for money laundering and terrorist financing, adding Algeria, Angola, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Monaco, Namibia, Nepal, and Venezuela while removing eight others. EU financial entities must now apply enhanced vigilance to transactions involving the newly listed countries to protect the EU financial system. The update aligns with the Financial Action Task Force standards and is based on technical assessments incorporating FATF data, bilateral dialogues, and on-site visits.
straitstimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Singapore police investigated 536 people for their suspected involvement in scams and unlicensed moneylending activities totaling over $12.2 million in losses during a June 30-July 11 enforcement operation by the Bedok Police Division. Of those under investigation, 391 suspects were linked to more than 2,400 cases including e-commerce, investment, job, rental, and phishing scams, while 145 were implicated in loan scams and unlicensed moneylending involving over $250,000. The operation resulted in 36 arrests, with the suspects ranging in age from 16 to 81 years old.
silive.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are targeting senior citizens with phishing emails and texts impersonating the Social Security Administration, using alarming language about suspected criminal activity to pressure victims into clicking malicious links or providing personal information. To protect themselves, seniors should verify sender contact information, avoid clicking unverified links, ignore requests for urgent action or gift cards, use separate email accounts for different purposes, and maintain strong, unique passwords across all accounts.
news.sky.com
· 2025-12-08
Children as young as seven are being referred to Britain's cyber crime intervention program, with an average referral age of just 15, as young hackers steal millions from major UK companies. Former cybercriminals Ricky Handschumacher and Joseph Harris—who each served prison sentences for stealing millions in cryptocurrency—warn that teenagers are increasingly exploiting gaming platforms and social engineering tactics to commit cyber attacks, with gaming being a major pathway into crime for vulnerable youth. Insurance payouts to hacked UK businesses have increased 230%, with teenagers and young adults suspected in major attacks on companies including Marks & Spencer (£136m loss), Co-op (6.5 million customer records stolen),
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
In September 2023, scammers impersonating law enforcement and the FBI targeted 81-year-old Judith Boivin of Maryland by exploiting her well-researched background as a nurse, social worker, and humanitarian to convince her she needed to assist in an FBI operation against a Mexican cartel allegedly using her Social Security number for money laundering. Over three months of twice-daily contact with the fraudsters, who used authentic-sounding case numbers and FBI branding, Boivin transferred nearly $600,000 of her retirement savings before discovering the elaborate scheme was fraudulent.
cointelegraph.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2025, five men operating across multiple countries orchestrated a sophisticated cryptocurrency romance scam that defrauded over 400 American victims of more than $225 million. The scheme began with romantic messages on dating apps, progressed to fake investment tips and trading platforms showing fabricated gains, and culminated in international money laundering through shell companies, fake crypto businesses, and Tether stablecoin transfers routed through Cambodia. The DOJ charged the conspirators and moved to seize the stolen crypto, highlighting how romance scams (also called "pig butchering" scams) represent the most prominent category of crypto fraud, with Americans losing $5.6 billion to crypto scams
capeargus.co.za
· 2025-12-08
Two suspects, aged 26 and 22, were arrested in the Western Cape by the Hawks' 419 Scam Task Team in connection with a romance scam in which a middle-aged woman lost over R3.4 million after being deceived by an online fraudster posing as a white man named Mark Hermanus who claimed his son was sick. Five suspects total have been arrested in this case, with the arrested individuals facing charges of fraud and money laundering. The article also highlights similar romance scams targeting older and middle-aged individuals, including cases where victims lost R650,000 and R24 million respectively.
hospicenews.com
· 2025-12-08
Five California hospice operators pleaded guilty to defrauding Medicare of approximately $16 million by operating sham hospice companies, misusing deceased doctors' identities, and using foreign nationals' personal information to submit false claims. The scheme involved healthcare fraud, identity theft, and money laundering, with defendants spending fraudulently obtained funds on real estate and vehicles; sentences ranged from 10-12 years in prison, with additional penalties including potential deportation.
pulsetasmania.com.au
· 2025-12-08
Victims of romance and investment scams deposited over $2.5 million into cryptocurrency ATMs across Tasmania, with individual losses averaging $165,000 and one victim losing more than $750,000. The majority of victims were around 65 years old and were targeted through fake relationships or schemes promising 30-40% returns, with scammers using phone calls, social media, and encrypted messaging to manipulate, threaten, and intimidate victims into making deposits. Police warn that crypto ATM deposits are nearly impossible to recover once sent, and the Australian government is implementing deposit limits of $5,000 per transaction to help prevent such scams.
police.tas.gov.au
· 2025-12-08
Tasmania Police contacted 15 Tasmanians who lost a combined $2.5 million to scams involving cryptocurrency ATMs (CATMs), with approximately $900,000 deposited directly to these machines. Investigation found all top cryptocurrency ATM users in the state were involved in scams—primarily romance and investment fraud—where victims were directed to CATMs after banks blocked suspicious transfers. Police advise recognizing warning signs including pressure tactics, promises of high returns, and requests to deposit cash to CATMs from unknown individuals, and recommend reporting incidents to police and Scamwatch.
ktvz.com
· 2025-12-08
James and Maureen Wilson of Baltimore County were sentenced to 12 and 4 years in prison, respectively, for operating a 25-year insurance fraud and money laundering scheme that defrauded insurance companies and investors of over $20 million. The couple opened more than 40 fraudulent life insurance policies, laundered proceeds through multiple bank accounts and trusts, and failed to report approximately $7.7 million in income on tax returns; they were ordered to pay $16 million in restitution and forfeit nearly $14.8 million.
globalnews.ca
· 2025-12-08
The RCMP arrested Gareth West, 38, on July 4 in Quebec, alleging he was the ringleader of a grandparent scam that defrauded American seniors of $21 million between summer 2021 and June 2024. West and 24 other Canadians operated call centers near Montreal, impersonating grandchildren in distress and lawyers to convince elderly victims in 40+ U.S. states to send bail money, which was then transferred to Canada via cash delivery and cryptocurrency. West faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted and is being held pending possible extradition to the United States.
nwestiowa.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams involve criminals creating fake personas on dating sites and social media to build false relationships and extract money from victims through emotional manipulation and fabricated emergencies. The Federal Trade Commission estimates approximately 64,000 Americans lost $1.14 billion to romance scams in 2023, with seniors—particularly widowed and divorced individuals—being frequent targets. Red flags include refusal to meet in person or video call, rapid escalation of romantic declarations, requests to move to private messaging platforms, and endless excuses for financial assistance, with some victims also being coerced into becoming "money mules" for money laundering schemes.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
James and Maureen Wilson of Baltimore County were sentenced to 12 and 4 years in prison, respectively, after defrauding insurance companies of over $20 million through a 25-year scheme involving more than 40 fraudulent life insurance policies and money laundering across multiple accounts and trusts. The couple was ordered to pay $16 million in restitution to victims, $2.7 million to the U.S., and forfeit nearly $14.8 million. The case highlights a broader problem in Maryland, where the FBI reported that over 3,200 residents over 60 lost $80 million to scams in 2024.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Michel Duarte Suarez, a 50-year-old Cuban national, pleaded guilty to orchestrating a scheme from Panama to steal approximately $803,000 from an 82-year-old victim's bank account over four months using forged checks and fraudulent signatures. Suarez and his South Florida-based co-conspirators laundered the stolen proceeds through his Miami company, Online Electronics, with co-conspirators returning 50% of the fraud to Suarez. He faces up to 30 years in prison on charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and mail fraud, plus a mandatory additional two years for aggravated identity theft, with sentencing scheduled for September 29, 2025
jdsupra.com
· 2025-12-08
The Department of Justice issued a memorandum outlining its white-collar crime enforcement priorities, which include fraud targeting government programs (Medicare, Medicaid, defense spending), complex market frauds (Ponzi schemes, investment fraud, and elder fraud), trade and customs violations, and national security-related financial crimes involving foreign adversaries. The DOJ also prioritized money laundering, drug manufacturing-related crimes, and violations of controlled substances laws, while noting that corporate misconduct may be addressed through individual prosecution or civil remedies rather than corporate criminal charges, with reduced penalties offered for companies that self-disclose and cooperate with the department.
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Secret Service has seized nearly $400 million in cryptocurrency over the past decade, including a record $225 million from a money laundering network, with many funds traced to romance scams and fake investment schemes targeting victims through catfish tactics. Despite these enforcement successes, crypto-related crimes continue to surge, with Americans losing $9.3 billion to crypto scams in 2024 alone and wallet hacks, phishing attacks, and protocol exploits causing over $2.47 billion in losses in the first half of 2025, indicating that criminal tactics are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
livebitcoinnews.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Secret Service has seized nearly $400 million in cryptocurrency over the past decade, with much of it linked to romance scams and fake investment platforms that target victims through catfishing and promise of quick returns. Despite these enforcement successes, crypto scams are accelerating, with Americans losing $9.3 billion to such schemes in 2024 alone, representing over half of all internet fraud losses that year. The Secret Service's June 2025 seizure of $225 million in USDT marked its largest cryptocurrency confiscation to date.
amac.us
· 2025-12-08
Older Americans are increasingly targeted by fraud schemes, with seniors losing over $3.4 billion in 2023—an average of $33,915 per victim—according to the FBI's 2023 Elder Fraud Report. Many of these scams, including impersonation schemes and "pig butchering" cryptocurrency frauds, are allegedly coordinated or tolerated by the Chinese Communist Party, with recent indictments in Ohio and California involving Chinese nationals charged with defrauding elderly victims out of thousands to millions of dollars. Experts emphasize that only 10-15 percent of senior fraud victims report their losses, suggesting the actual problem is far larger than reported figures indicate
whas11.com
· 2025-12-08
A 36-year-old Canadian man, Jia Liu, was arrested on July 2 at Louisville's Muhammad Ali International Airport for defrauding elderly people across multiple states. Liu targeted an elderly man in Charlestown who withdrew $27,000 from his retirement account in May, and investigators linked him to at least five additional victims in Indiana, Ohio, New Mexico, and Tennessee, with total losses exceeding $309,000. Liu faces charges including theft, fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering, and authorities are seeking additional victims who may be in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee.
wdrb.com
· 2025-12-08
A 36-year-old Canadian citizen, Jia Hua Liu, was arrested at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in July after a multi-state scam targeting elderly victims, with confirmed losses exceeding $309,000 across Indiana, Ohio, New Mexico, and Tennessee. In the initial Charlestown, Kentucky case, an elderly resident was defrauded of $27,000 after being tricked into withdrawing funds from his retirement account; three additional elderly victims in Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan were nearly victimized for an additional $70,000 before family members intervened. Liu was charged with theft, fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering, and police believe there are
fortune.com
· 2025-12-08
A 35-year-old Nigerian man, Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, pleaded guilty to operating a romance scam that defrauded six women across Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Kansas of approximately $1.88 million between 2019 and 2024. Using fake identities such as "Williams Moore," "Manuel Sykes," and "Edward Nowak," Nwadavid posed as an oil rig worker and other professionals to build romantic relationships with vulnerable women online, then solicited money under false pretenses including medical emergencies and inheritance claims. The case highlights the growing threat of romance scams targeting women over 60, which
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, a 35-year-old married Nigerian real estate worker, pleaded guilty to running a sophisticated romance scam that defrauded six women across Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Kansas of approximately $1.88 million between January and June 2019. Using fake identities, he posed as men working on oil rigs or in overseas positions, love-bombing vulnerable victims and convincing them to send money for medical emergencies or travel expenses, with one victim losing over $896,000. The case reflects a broader epidemic of romance scams targeting older adults, with the FBI reporting nearly 18,000 complaints in 2024
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-08
Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, a 35-year-old, admitted to orchestrating a romance scam that defrauded at least six women across multiple states of millions of dollars by posing as different men (including "Williams Moore" and "Manuel Sykes") claiming to need financial help due to oil rig injuries. Victims from Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Kansas were manipulated into opening cryptocurrency accounts and transferring funds totaling millions, with individual losses ranging from $235,000 to $896,000, which Nwadavid then laundered through his own Bitcoin wallets. The case reflects a broader trend of romance fraud, with the
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Department of Justice seized $225.3 million in cryptocurrency linked to a romance scam syndicate that defrauded over 430 victims, marking the largest cryptocurrency seizure in U.S. Secret Service history. The scam involved criminals convincing victims to invest in fraudulent crypto platforms and then laundering the funds through the OKX exchange, with operations coordinated from the Philippines. This enforcement action highlights the growing trend of crypto-based romance and investment scams and is expected to prompt tighter regulatory compliance measures and anti-money laundering standards at centralized cryptocurrency exchanges globally.
cointelegraph.com
· 2025-12-08
The US Secret Service has seized nearly $400 million in cryptocurrency over the past decade through investigations into digital asset scams, with analysts using blockchain analysis and VPN tracking to identify fraudsters operating romance-investment schemes and sextortion plots. In 2024, Americans reported $9.3 billion stolen in crypto fraud—more than half of all internet crime losses—with the agency training officials in over 60 countries to combat these crimes, which often involve scammers posing as attractive individuals to lure victims into fake investment platforms that disappear with deposits.
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-08
The US Secret Service has seized nearly $400 million in digital assets over the past decade by tracking cryptocurrency fraud schemes, with crypto scams now representing the top driver of US internet crime losses at $9.3 billion stolen in 2024. Common schemes include fake investment platforms that show initial profits before disappearing with deposits, romance-investment scams, and sextortion cases, with the agency using blockchain analysis and open-source tools to identify perpetrators across multiple jurisdictions. The Secret Service has trained law enforcement in over 60 countries and coordinated with crypto exchanges like Tether to freeze wallets and recover stolen assets, including a notable $225 million recovery linked to romance scams.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Social Security Administration phishing scams use urgent, alarming messages impersonating government agencies to trick recipients into clicking malicious links or downloading files that steal personal data or install malware. These scams leverage fear and false authority by falsely claiming SSNs are suspended due to serious crimes like money laundering, and often include multiple geographic references and official-sounding details to overwhelm victims into panic-driven action before they can verify the threat.
golocalprov.com
· 2025-12-08
A Boston truck repair company, Middlesex Truck and Coach, discovered that Chase Bank had fraudulently opened an account under its name without identification verification, which was then used by foreign scammers to collect proceeds from victims of "pig-butchering" schemes—elaborate investment scams that defraud victims of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The account was part of a sophisticated international money laundering operation linked to Asian crime syndicates that funnel stolen U.S. funds through fake bank accounts and cryptocurrency, with pig-butchering scams alone generating an estimated $44 billion annually across Southeast Asia and affecting millions of victims worldwide.
straitstimes.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Secret Service's Global Investigative Operations Center (GIOC) has seized nearly $400 million in digital assets over the past decade by investigating cryptocurrency investment scams and related digital crimes. The team uses open-source tools and blockchain analysis to trace fraudulent activities across borders, such as fake investment platforms that lure victims with small initial profits before disappearing with their money, as well as extortion schemes involving cryptocurrency payments. The Secret Service has expanded its efforts globally, conducting training workshops in over 60 countries to help local law enforcement and prosecutors identify and combat digital financial crimes.
grantspasstribune.com
· 2025-12-08
Canadian national Gareth West was arrested and faces federal charges for allegedly masterminding a $30 million telemarketing scam targeting seniors across 46 states through fake investment offers, sweepstakes claims, and impersonation of attorneys and federal agents. The sophisticated operation exploited vulnerable elderly individuals living alone or with cognitive decline, leaving many victims destitute and losing their homes and retirement savings. West laundered millions through offshore accounts and cryptocurrency, with additional accomplices under investigation and authorities urging families to monitor elderly relatives and report suspicious communications to the FTC or law enforcement.
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Secret Service is coordinating with law enforcement across 60+ countries to combat cryptocurrency scams, which have become the leading cause of online fraud losses in America. In 2024, older adults lost $2.8 billion to crypto scams involving fake investment websites that use attractive photos and show small profits to build trust before disappearing with victims' money. Over the past decade, the GIOC has successfully seized nearly $400 million in digital assets through tracing domain names, crypto wallets, and IP addresses, with training programs helping other nations strengthen their enforcement efforts.
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-08
Michael Zidell lost $20 million in a "pig butchering" romance scam that began in January 2023 when a fraudster posing as a businesswoman named Carolyn Parker on Facebook convinced him to invest in a fake NFT website over months of WeChat communications. Zidell has filed lawsuits against East West Bank, Cathay Bank, and Citibank, alleging the financial institutions failed to detect and prevent suspicious transactions totaling $7 million, $9.7 million, and $4 million respectively, despite the transfers being unusually large and violating anti-money laundering compliance requirements. The lawsuits seek compensatory damages and suggest potential
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Secret Service has seized $225 million in cryptocurrency in a recent operation targeting romance and investment scams, bringing the total recovered over the past decade to $400 million. Scammers typically lure victims through fake cryptocurrency investment websites that show false profits to build trust before disappearing with deposited funds, sometimes targeting vulnerable individuals like teenagers for sextortion schemes. The Secret Service's Global Investigative Operations Center works with over 60 countries to trace fraudulent assets and dismantle international scam networks, demonstrating the effectiveness of coordinated law enforcement in combating digital fraud.
thegeorgiavirtue.com
· 2025-12-08
Pradip Parikh, 67, and Alpesh Patel, 40, were convicted of operating an India-based call center scam that defrauded elderly Americans out of millions of dollars by impersonating Social Security Administration officials and convincing victims their Social Security numbers had been compromised. Victims, including a 70-year-old who lost $600,000 and a widowed mother of eight who lost over $300,000, were directed to transfer funds to bank accounts controlled by the defendants, who then laundered the money. Parikh was convicted of money laundering conspiracy and two substantive money laundering counts, while Patel was convicted on all charges
m.economictimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Gareth West, a Canadian man accused of orchestrating one of North America's largest cross-border "grandparent scams," was arrested by the RCMP in Quebec on July 4. Operating call centers in the Montreal area, West led a network that stole at least $30 million from elderly victims across 46 US states by posing as grandchildren in distress and pressuring seniors to send bail money, while using fraudulent proceeds to fund a lavish lifestyle. He faces charges of wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy and could receive up to 40 years in federal prison if convicted in the United States.
deccanherald.com
· 2025-12-08
Nehal Modi, the younger brother of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, was arrested by US authorities immediately upon his release from a US prison on Friday after completing a nearly three-year sentence for a cheating case involving the fraudulent acquisition of $2.6 million in diamonds from a Manhattan company. In India, Nehal Modi is wanted by the CBI in connection with the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank fraud orchestrated by his brother Nirav Modi, and is accused of destroying evidence and laundering proceeds of crime through shell companies and offshore transactions. The CBI will pursue his extradition during a July 17 court hearing in the US.
livebitcoinnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Michael Zidell lost $20 million in a pig butchering scam that began in January 2023 when a scammer impersonating businesswoman "Carolyn Parker" contacted him on Facebook and convinced him to invest in a fake NFT website over several months. Zidell has sued East West Bank, Cathay Bank, and Citibank for negligence, alleging the banks failed to detect or flag suspicious wire transfers totaling $20 million across multiple accounts and violated anti-money laundering regulations, with the lawsuits also alleging elder abuse under California law.
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
Gareth West, the Canadian ringleader of a grandparent scam network that defrauded seniors across 46 U.S. states of approximately $30 million, was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at the request of U.S. authorities. The scam involved callers impersonating grandchildren in distress to pressure elderly victims into sending money through fake lawyers, bail agents, and courier services, with West operating call centers in Montreal using spoofed American phone numbers. West faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering carrying up to 40 years in federal prison, and 23 co-conspirators had been arrested prior to his apprehension
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
Gareth West, a Canadian man, was arrested as the ringleader of a $30 million grandparent scam network that victimized seniors across 46 states by having callers impersonate their grandchildren in distress and demand urgent cash transfers. West operated call centers in Montreal with dozens of employees who spoofed American phone numbers, connected victims to fake lawyers and bail agents, and facilitated money transfers while West used the proceeds for luxury cars, properties, and travel. He faces charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering carrying up to 40 years in federal prison, with 23 other network members arrested prior to his custody.
ca.news.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Gareth West, the alleged leader of Canada's largest grandparent scam network, was arrested in Quebec after months of eluding police; he is accused of orchestrating a fraud scheme that defrauded approximately $30 million from American seniors through dozens of call centre employees in the Montreal area. West has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering and faces up to 40 years in prison if extradited to the U.S. and convicted. Twenty-three other alleged network members were previously arrested, though one conspirator remains at large.
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-08
Michael Zidell lost approximately $20 million in a romance scam (classified as "pig butchering") in which a scammer posing as a woman named Carolyn Parker built trust with him on Facebook and WeChat before directing him to invest in a fake NFT platform called OpenrarityPro.com. Zidell has filed lawsuits against Citibank, East West Bank, and Cathay Bank, alleging the institutions negligently failed to detect red flags such as account discrepancies, suspicious wire transfer volumes, and transfers that exceeded stated transaction limits, thereby materially aiding the scheme. The case seeks to establish bank accountability for facilitating investment fraud and highlights
koaa.com
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission is warning consumers about fraudulent travel deals advertised through fake websites impersonating legitimate hotels and airlines, particularly around holiday periods like the 4th of July. Scammers use these fake sites to collect personal information and financial details, which they use to steal money or make unauthorized purchases; experts note that tracking and recovering funds from these schemes is extremely difficult due to the sites being quickly shut down and the use of advanced technology like AI to create convincing fakes. The FTC recommends researching websites, avoiding unsolicited links, and using secure payment methods rather than wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency to protect yourself during travel booking.
punchng.com
· 2025-12-08
Ehis Akhimie, a 41-year-old Nigerian man, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud for his role in a transnational inheritance scam that defrauded over 400 elderly Americans of more than $6 million. The scheme involved sending fake letters claiming victims were beneficiaries of multimillion-dollar inheritances from Spanish relatives and demanding upfront fees for processing and delivery. Akhimie, who faces up to 20 years in prison, worked with international accomplices and money mules to receive and launder stolen funds, with law enforcement from the U.S., UK, Spain, Portugal, and Nigeria collaborating to
partnersgroup.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article warns against rising scams impersonating trusted organizations like Partners Group and provides protective measures for potential victims. Key advice includes staying alert to unsolicited contacts, independently verifying company information, and immediately reporting suspected fraud to law enforcement and banks, while Partners Group clarifies it does not solicit investments via phone, email, or social media, and does not offer cryptocurrency investments or conduct business through unauthorized social messaging accounts.
indianexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
Three men from Jharkhand were arrested for operating a phishing and identity theft scam that defrauded a 49-year-old Delhi resident of Rs 10.8 lakh (approximately $13,000 USD) by impersonating a bank and requesting KYC updates via fake links. The sophisticated operation involved spoofed calls, malicious apps to intercept OTPs, and laundering stolen funds through gaming apps and digital wallets using mule accounts and fake SIM cards. Police recovered multiple devices and linked the accused to additional complaints through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal.
bbc.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Ahmed Ali Suleman, a 63-year-old textile firm boss, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison for laundering over £1 million from a romance fraud operation between 2015 and 2017. Suleman used his company, Savanna Rags, as a front to process fraudulent funds obtained by West African scammers who targeted 77 vulnerable victims (primarily older, lonely, widowed, or divorced individuals) through fake dating profiles, manipulating them into transferring money for fabricated emergencies. He evaded detection by doctoring invoices to make victim payments appear as legitimate business transactions, with at least £1.9 million estimated to have been laun
ktar.com
· 2025-12-08
Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng was extradited from Ghana and appeared in federal court in Arizona on charges related to a romance fraud scheme targeting elderly victims worldwide from 2013 to 2023. The scam involved fraudsters claiming to have gold and jewels available to victims if they paid upfront costs for taxes and fees. Boateng faces up to 20 years in prison on each of two federal charges—conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.