In the News

Sharing threat information among peers benefits all parties through awareness, informed decision making, and increased resilience.  The NCFTA sharing model also includes responsible sharing with and support of law enforcement to enable authorities to disrupt cyber-criminal actors and groups wherever they may be. This is a big reason why we do what we do; to impose a consequence on those who leverage the internet to criminally benefit themselves or others.

Included below are press releases pertaining to successful law enforcement investigations and other newsworthy items in which the NCFTA or NCFTA community played a supporting role.

Congratulations to those law enforcement agencies, case agents, and prosecutors who have invested countless hours while seeking justice for exploited victims. Scroll down to read the stories.

January 14, 2026

Global Cybercrime Subscription Service Disrupted by Microsoft and International Law Enforcement

Microsoft is announcing a coordinated legal action in the United States and, for the first time, the United Kingdom to disrupt RedVDS, a global cybercrime subscription service fueling millions in fraud losses. These efforts are part of a broader joint operation with international law enforcement, including German authorities and Europol, which has allowed Microsoft and its partners to seize key malicious infrastructure and take the RedVDS marketplace offline, a major step toward dismantling the networks behind AI-enabled fraud, such as real estate scams.

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December 18, 2025

From Dhaka to Montana: Bangladeshi National Indicted for Selling Thousands of Counterfeit U.S. Passports and IDs Online. Fake ID Marketplaces Seized.

Zahid Hasan, 29, of Dhaka, Bangladesh, is charged with operating illegal online marketplaces “TechTreek” and “EGiftCardStoreBD” that sold digital templates of false identity documents. The indictment alleges that from at least 2021 through 2025, Hasan operated multiple online businesses based out of Bangladesh, and earned more than $2.9.

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December 17, 2025

FBI Disrupts Virtual Money Laundering Service Used to Facilitate Criminal Activity

Action taken in conjunction with international partners and Michigan State Police to disrupt and take down the online infrastructure behind E-Note, an exchange used by transnational cyber-criminals. Since 2017, more than $70,000,000 of illicit proceeds from ransomware and account takeovers have transferred via E-Note payment service and money mule network.

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December 17, 2025

Operation "Maple Disruption 2025" coordinated over 3,000 disruptive actions against fraud enablers

From December 8-11, this year's sprint brought fraud fighters from over 25 organizations across Canada and the NCFTA in Pittsburgh. Maple Disruption partners worked together to identify instances of suspected fraud and coordinated over 3,000 disruptive actions.

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December 5, 2025

Two Miscreants Involved in $26m Elder Fraud Scheme Indicted

Trevaughn Yearwood, a/k/a Larry Wood of Florida, and Amit Jumar of Virginia have been indicted in the Western District of Pennsylvania for their part in a $26 million money laundering scheme. The scheme included deceptive emails that lead victims to hand over cash or make deposits of cash into bitcoin ATMs. The case originated during a private sector and law enforcement training event hosted by NCFTA.

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December 3, 2025

Two Virginia Men Arrested for Conspiring to Destroy Government Databases

On December 3, 2025, brothers Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter of Alexandria, Virginia, were arrested for their roles in a conspiracy to destroy government databases hosted by a federal government contractor, among other crimes.

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December 1, 2025

Cryptocurrency Mixing Service 'Cryptomixer' Unplugged by EU Authorities

Another one bites the dust: From November 24-28, Europol supported an action week conducted by law enforcement authorities from Switzerland and Germany in Zurich, Switzerland. The operation focused on taking down the illegal cryptocurrency mixing service ‘Cryptomixer’, which is suspected of facilitating cybercrime and money laundering.

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August 14, 2025

Human Trafficker Arrested in Oklahoma. Arkansas Businesses Raided. Victims Rescued.

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin announced recent results of the ongoing "Operation Obscured Vision", which began in January. A total of 13 illicit message businesses have been served with search warrants, and to date there have been seven arrests. Twenty-three victims have been identified.

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June 2, 2025

Simi Valley man pleads guilty to obtaining millions from state unemployment fraud and laundering proceeds to China.

A multi-defendant case being investigated by the FBI and U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General has resulted in a second defendant pleading guilty to receiving over $46 million of fraudulently obtained state unemployment compensation benefits, laundering the illegal proceeds through their companies and transferring these funds to parties in China.

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May 23, 2025

Mr. Honesty can't live up to his name. Sentenced to four years in prison for his role in multiple cybercrimes and fraud schemes.

Marco Honesty was sentenced to four years in prison on May 23, 2025, for multiple cybercrimes and fraud schemes including: Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud resulting in more than $500,000 loss to the SBA, smishing and bank account takeovers, fraudulent money orders, and identify theft.

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