Behind the Vape Counters: Fairfax Police Uncover Drug and Cash Scheme
Fairfax County, VA police have targeted over a dozen local vape shops in a sweeping investigation into illegal drug sales and money laundering. The extensive operation highlights a coordinated crackdown on illicit activities within these retail locations.
Continue ReadingLeakBase Hacker Forum Dismantled by Global Law Enforcement Operation
On March 3 and 4, law enforcement in 14 countries including the United States took synchronized actions against LeakBase and its users in a coordinated effort hosted by Europol in The Hague. LeakBase forum has over 142,000 members and maintained an enormous archive of hacked databases, including hundreds of millions of account credentials. The forum, including all criminal account information, posts, private messages and logs have been seized by law enforcement.
Continue ReadingChilean National Charged with Financial Fraud Extradited to U.S.
Alex Rodrigo Valenzuela Monje, aka “VAL4K,” 24, of Chile was charged with trafficking tens of thousands of stolen credit card numbers and information. From at least May 2021 to August 2023, Valenzuela Monje operated an illegal online card shop, selling dumps of over 25,000 unauthorized access devices through Telegram channels.
Continue ReadingAuthorities Uncover Alleged Human Trafficking Enterprise Tied to Erie Spa Businesses
Four Chinese nationals residing in New York were indicted for running a family-linked sex trafficking and money laundering operation through two Erie, Pennsylvania massage businesses. Prosecutors say the scheme exploited non-citizens by transporting individuals across state lines for prostitution, and generated proceeds that were funneled through financial accounts and real estate purchases. The defendants face charges of human trafficking and prostitution of alien persons, as well as money laundering.
Continue ReadingFour Chinese Nationals Indicted on Human Trafficking and Money Laundering
Four Chinese nationals residing in Flushing, New York, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of conspiracy, human trafficking, immigration violations, and money laundering for their roles in operating illicit massage businesses in Erie County, PA.
Continue ReadingSlovakian Man Pleads Guilty to Operating Darknet Marketplace
Authorities arrested Alan Bill, aka Vend0r, of Bratislava on December 15, 2023, at Newark Liberty International Airport after customs inspectors discovered two cell phones, a laptop, a thumb drive, and a cryptocurrency hardware wallet containing evidence that directly linked him to Kingdom Market. As part of his plea agreement, Bill agreed to forfeit five different types of coins in a cryptocurrency wallet, as well as the Kingdommarket.live and Kingdommarket.so domains, which have been shut down by authorities. Bill is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5. The drug trafficking conspiracy charge carries a penalty of at least five years in prison, with a maximum of 40, and the possibility of a fine of up to $5 million.
Continue ReadingGlobal 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.
Continue ReadingFrom 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.
Continue ReadingFBI 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.
Continue ReadingOperation "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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