Fourthestate

The US and German authorities have shut down the world's largest darknet money-laundering platform and seized over EUR 44 million in Bitcoin. They have also reportedly seized nearly seven terabytes of data after confiscating servers belonging to the world's top-selling crypto mixer on the dark web, ChipMixer, in Germany. The company is suspected of having laundered about BTC 154,000 - worth over USD 2.9 billion - since being founded in 2017. Newsflash obtained a statement from Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) on Wednesday, 15th March, saying that it had been working with the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), as well as Europol and other organisations. The BKA explained: "'ChipMixer' was a service that had been in existence since mid-2017, which in particular accepted bitcoins of criminal origin in order to pay them out again after concealment processes (so-called 'mixing'). "Deposited crypto values ​​were divided into small uniform amounts known as 'chips' for the purpose of thwarting investigations. The users' 'chips' were then mixed up, thus concealing the origin of the funds. 'ChipMixer' promised its users complete anonymity." The way ChipMixer worked can be seen in the footage. The US DoJ said on Wednesday that one of the operators of ChipMixer, Minh Quoc Nguyen, from Hanoi, in Vietnam, was charged that day in Philadelphia with money laundering, operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, and identity theft. The DoJ also quoted Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco as saying: "This morning, working with partners at home and abroad, the Department of Justice disabled a prolific cryptocurrency mixer, which has fueled ransomware attacks, state-sponsored crypto-heists and darknet purchases across the globe. "Today's coordinated operation reinforces our consistent message: we will use all of our authorities to protect victims and take the fight to our adversaries. "Cybercrime seeks to exploit boundaries, but the Department of Justice's network of alliances transcends borders and enables disruption of the criminal activity that jeopardizes our global cybersecurity." FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate said: "Today's announcement demonstrates the FBI's commitment to dismantling technical infrastructure that enables cyber criminals and nation-state actors to illegally launder cryptocurrency funds." One of the many accusations ChipMixer faces is tied to Russian intelligence, the DoJ said. The US authorities explained that ChipMixer had processed "Bitcoin used by the Russian General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), 85th Main Special Service Center, military unit 26165 (aka APT 28) to purchase infrastructure for the Drovorub malware, which was first disclosed in a joint cybersecurity advisory released by the FBI and National Security Agency in August 2020." The bust was also supported by the Belgian Federal Police, the Polish Cyber Police (Centralnego Biura Zwalczania Cyberprzestępczości) and the Zurich State Police (Kantonspolizei Zuerich), as well as by Europol, the German and American authorities said.

Officials in California announced the immediate closure of the Kings River and the San Joaquin River as heavy rainfall and water runoff turned them into potential safety hazards. Entry has been denied to all recreational users, as stated by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, effective as of 14th March. Sheriff John Zanoni made the order in the best interest of public safety, and the closure includes all recreational activities such as boating, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, and floating. Deputies will strictly enforce this closure, and violators will be subject to citations with a minimum fine of USD 225 (GBP 186).

Police in Philadelphia are asking for the public's help in identifying two suspects, armed with a gun and an axe, who attempted to rob a store. The attempted theft occurred at the Maranatha Grocery Store, located at 7223 West Passyunk Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania State on 10th March. Two unidentified men entered the store, one armed with a gun and the other carrying a wooden container concealing an axe. Upon entering the store, the armed man demanded money from an employee while his accomplice attempted to break open the ATM using the axe. Despite their efforts, the duo was unsuccessful in their robbery attempt and fled the scene without taking anything. Authorities are investigating the incident and urging anyone with information to come forward.

A 58-year-old suspect who returned to the scene of crime and was wanted for speeding was arrested by police after fleeing multiple times in the past two weeks. The suspect - whose identity was not revealed - had fled from Puyallup Police Department officers multiple times and was finally apprehended by deputies from the Pierce County Sheriff's Office in South Hill, Washington on 25th February. The arrest occurred after the suspect returned to the scene of his initial escape in the 16500 block of Meridian E in South Hill. At 3:30 am, a graveyard patrol deputy spotted the suspicious vehicle and attempted to detain the suspect. However, the suspect sped away, and deputies were unable to pursue him due to the lack of a pursuable offence. The suspect later returned to the same car park where he was promptly spotted by the deputies. Knowing the suspect's identity, they boxed in his vehicle using their patrol cars and activated their emergency lights. Despite refusing to exit the car and creating a large cloud of smoke by spinning his tires, the suspect was ultimately apprehended using stop sticks, window breaking, and pepper spray. Following medical clearance, the suspect was booked into jail on charges of eluding, resisting arrest, reckless endangerment, and obstructing.

Scientists managed to get up close and personal to the smoking crater of a Hawaiian volcano, which temporarily paused its eruptive activity. They were able to film a stunning close-up of the Halema‘uma‘u crater at the Kilauea Summit, Hawaii during an overflight on 10th March. Although numerous outgassing sites were present on the crater floor, no active lava was found on the surface. The video footage captured during the overflight provided a comprehensive view of the crater, followed by a closer examination of the western crater floor. This pause in eruptive activity is a temporary respite, as experts continue to monitor the volcanic activity closely. Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, is known for its frequent eruptions and lava flows. Its last major eruption in 2021 resulted in significant changes to the landscape, prompting scientists to keep a watchful eye on its ongoing activity. As the situation continues to evolve, experts are committed to keeping the public informed about any potential hazards and necessary safety measures. For now, residents and visitors can enjoy the temporary pause in eruptive activity, while remaining vigilant and prepared for future volcanic events.