Encryption Crackdown: Private Phone Network With 60,000 Users Dismantled by Law Enforcement

An international law enforcement team has brought down an encrypted phone network with 60,000 users worldwide. The platform was one of the largest providers of encrypted communications, widely used by organized crime groups. UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), Europol, Eurojust, and several other authorities announced on Thursday that they have infiltrated and taken down an encrypted phone platform widely used by organized crime groups worldwide. Encrochat is “an encrypted phone network widely used by criminal networks,” Europol described. It “was one of the largest providers of encrypted communications,” the NCA…

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Cryptocurrency-Focused Docuseries Airs to Millions of Viewers via the Discovery Science Channel

A new docuseries called “Open Source Money” recently aired on July 4 and premiered on the Discovery Science channel. The new show gave millions of Discovery viewers information concerning bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, initial coin offerings, and blockchain technology. The cryptocurrency-focused show airing on Discovery will continue this summer with a number of episodes broadcasting once a week. “Open Source Money” is the name of a new docuseries that aired on Saturday and premiered on the Discovery Science channel and the on-demand television provider Philo. The new series gives viewers insight into…

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Food and Cash Shortages Push Cubans Toward Permissionless Cryptocurrencies

The Nation of Cuba is dealing with a national food crisis, as Venezuela has stopped offering aid to the small island nation. Moreover, the coronavirus outbreak has caused a shortage of cash couriers called “mules” and everyday items are becoming scarcer. Amid the crisis, a number of Cubans are resorting to leveraging cryptocurrencies like bitcoin to curb inflationary pressure, and the country’s first peer-to-peer bitcoin exchange Qbita launched last April. The Covid-19 pandemic has ravaged the Cuban economy just like it has throughout the globe. However, Cuba has been hit…

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Bitcoin-Friendly Kanye West Running for US President 2020, Taking on Donald Trump and Joe Biden

Kanye West announced on Independence Day that he is running for president of the United States in 2020, taking on Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. Responding to the bitcoin-friendly singer with 21 Grammy Awards, Tesla and Spacex CEO Elon Musk said West has his full support. Kanye West Running for President 2020 Kanye West is one of the world’s best-selling musicians, with over 140 million records sold worldwide. He announced on July 4 via Twitter that he is running for president in 2020. The pro-bitcoin singer tweeted:…

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4th Amendment Does Not Protect Bitcoin Data, US Fifth Circuit Court Rules

A Fifth Circuit panel of judges recently ruled that Fourth Amendment rights do not apply to cryptocurrency transaction data that stems from an exchange. The U.S. court ruled against the defendant, Richard Gratkowski, who attempted to leverage the Fourth Amendment in an appeal. According to the ruling of a three-judge panel from the Fifth Circuit courts, the American government’s Fourth Amendment does not apply to bitcoin transactions used in a crime if they stem from virtual currency exchanges. Richard Gratkowski was charged with allegedly making payments to a child pornography…

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Germany Takes Over FATF Presidency With New Guidance on Crypto Standards

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has a new president as Germany took over the presidency from China. The intergovernmental organization also highlighted the need for more guidance on cryptocurrencies as many countries have not yet fully implemented its revised crypto standards. Another review has also been announced. Germany Now Leads FATF The FATF has a new president, Dr. Marcus Pleyer of Germany, who succeeded Xiangmin Liu of China. Pleyer serves as Deputy Director General in Germany’s Ministry of Finance. His two-year term as the president of the anti-money laundering…

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