⚖️ 'Godfather' fraudster sentenced over $37M Meta scheme
Adam Iza, who dubbed himself "Godfather," has been sentenced to 6 years in prison for a $37 million fraud scheme targeting Meta.
The sentence runs concurrently with a 15-year term handed down last month for Iza's role in a separate attempted Bitcoin robbery, making the Bitcoin-linked case the more consequential of the two convictions.
Greek authorities have dismantled an unauthorized cryptocurrency pyramid scheme that defrauded more than 10,000 investors of approximately $9 million.
The operation promised to double investor funds within 50 days through automated AI-powered trading — a claim authorities say was fraudulent. The scheme operated without authorization and was structured as a pyramid, meaning early participants were paid using funds from newer investors rather than actual trading returns.
Greek police confirmed the bust, marking one of the larger crypto fraud cases in the country in recent years.
⚖️ CFTC proposes new crypto rules, spot market still uncovered
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission is advancing two proposed rules aimed at expanding its oversight of crypto activity and exchanges, joining the SEC in pushing forward regulatory frameworks for the sector.
The proposals target derivatives-related crypto activity but stop short of covering spot markets — where direct buying and selling of digital assets takes place. That gap means straightforward crypto trading remains outside the scope of either regulator's current rulemaking, leaving a significant portion of the market without clear federal oversight.
The development reflects ongoing regulatory momentum in Washington, even as jurisdictional boundaries between the CFTC and SEC over crypto assets remain unresolved.
⚖️ Treasury sanctions Hamas fundraising network tied to crypto transfers
The U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned a fundraising network linked to Hamas that raised more than $2 million through organizations posing as humanitarian charities.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars within that total were moved via cryptocurrency. The action targets the use of digital assets alongside traditional financial channels to funnel funds to a designated terrorist organization.
The move is part of broader U.S. efforts to close crypto-related loopholes exploited by sanctioned groups, reinforcing regulatory pressure on the use of digital assets in illicit finance.
⚖️ Japan sanctions Garantex amid ongoing crypto crackdown
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has added Russian crypto exchange Garantex to its asset-freeze list, aligning with earlier actions by the U.S. and European Union against the platform.
The U.S. Treasury previously linked Garantex to over $100 million in illicit transactions, including ransomware proceeds. U.S. authorities seized the exchange's domain in March 2025, with Treasury noting staff had already shifted operations elsewhere following the action.
Japan's move signals continued international coordination on crypto-related sanctions, with major jurisdictions converging on enforcement against platforms accused of facilitating illicit financial flows.
⚖️ U.S. banking group sues OCC over crypto trust charters
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) has filed a lawsuit against the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, challenging the regulator's practice of granting national trust charters to crypto firms.
The ICBA argues the charters give crypto companies a "side door into the banking system" without the regulatory safeguards — such as deposit insurance, capital requirements, and consumer protections — that apply to traditional banks. The group contends this creates an uneven playing field between chartered banks and crypto firms gaining access to the financial system through trust charters.
The lawsuit adds to growing legal and regulatory friction around crypto's integration into mainstream finance, as U.S. regulators and industry groups clash over the terms on which digital asset firms should access banking infrastructure.
Tesla's Bitcoin holdings are closing in on the $1 billion mark, driven by a recent rise in BTC price that has pushed the company's unrealized gains significantly higher.
Tesla has held Bitcoin on its balance sheet since 2021, when it made a high-profile $1.5 billion purchase. The company later sold a portion of its holdings but retained a substantial position. The current valuation milestone reflects the impact of BTC's price recovery on corporate treasuries that held through the downturn.
Tesla remains one of the most closely watched corporate Bitcoin holders alongside MicroStrategy and Block, with its treasury balance serving as a barometer for institutional-level exposure to the asset.