1-Razzlekhan imprisoned 18 months for Bitfinex hack
Morgan grabbed 120,000 Bitfinex Bitcoin worth $17 million with partner Ilya Lichtenstein. The couple pleaded guilty to conspiracy and money laundering in July 2023 after their February 2022 arrest.
Morgan committed big crimes deliberately and only stopped when forced by law enforcement, according to D.C. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly. Morgan said Lichtenstein’s theft was found later. Her court statement expressed regret for aiding her husband hack Bitfinex.
A U.S. court sentenced Morgan to 18 months, according prosecutors. Lichtenstein, the hacker’s mastermind, was sentenced to five years last week.
The maximum jail term was 25 years. Morgan and Lichtenstein laundered 20% of illegal proceeds. After federal authorities said they fooled the U.S. and utilized well-planned methods to clean the money, the two lost all their gains.
Lichtenstein and Morgan exchanged assets across numerous chains, used crypto mixers to mask their on-chain fingerprints, transferred crypto on dark web markets, and bought gold to launder stolen funds, according to investigator
2-Gemini starts in France as crypto trust grows
The business became a Virtual Asset Service Provider in France this year, taking advantage of its growing crypto ecosystem and government support.
According to a Gemini press release obtained by crypto.news, French consumers may open Gemini accounts and trade or store over 70 digital assets on the platform’s internet or mobile app.
French customers may use local debit cards, bank transfers, and Apple Pay with Euro and British Pound compatibility. Gemini provides institutional clients with competitive pricing and good liquidity via its ActiveTrader™ platform and over-the-counter services.
France leads the crypto industry with new laws that foster innovation.
France has 18% crypto ownership, up two points from 2022, according to Gemini’s 2024 Global State of Crypto study. Even though “crypto winter,” digital asset prices fell, this surge occurred.
The study indicated that French respondents trust bitcoin more than US and UK respondents. This trust comes from France’s VASP regime and the EU’s 2023 MiCA regulation, which defined crypto business requirements.
62% of French crypto holders consider digital assets long-term investments, with 46% purchasing their first crypto three to five years ago. About 49% of French crypto owners want to re-enter the market within a year, and 28% invest 5% in crypto.
43% of respondents think fraud protection is key to crypto sector confidence, while 32% of former and non-owners cite regulatory concerns, down from 37% in 2022.
Despite a 10% drop since 2022, 35% of French crypto owners are women, among the highest worldwide.
In principle, Singapore’s Monetary Authority gave Gemini a Major Payment Institution license last month.
3-Crypto.com launches Latin American Visa card
Crypto.com started its Visa card program in Latin America, a market interested in digital assets.
Crypto.com Release: Visa Card holders may preload funds using crypto wallets or fiat currencies via the app.
The card offers up to 8% cash back, Spotify and Netflix refunds, and airport lounge access in seven tiers. Unlike ordinary credit cards, certain tiers of this card have no annual or monthly fees.
Crypto.com is promoting cryptocurrencies globally.
According to Chainalysis, Latin America has 7.3% of the crypto market, ranking sixth. These residents employ digital assets to shield their money against currency devaluation and despotism.
Crypto.com President and COO Eric Anziani underlined Latin America’s crypto demand. He added the card will “give Latin American users generous spending rewards paid in crypto, rebates for popular subscription services and many more perks.”
Similar to prepaid debit cards, Crypto.com credit cards employ bitcoin.
Crypto.com’s 2025 vision includes new services and products, which this launch supports. The Crypto.com app enables Latin Americans apply for the card.
With rising digital asset demand, this expansion might standardize crypto use for normal transactions.
References
https://crypto.news/bitfinex-hacker-razzlekhan-jailed-for-18-months
https://crypto.news/gemini-launches-services-in-france-as-countrys-trust-in-crypto-increases
https://crypto.news/crypto-com-launching-visa-card-in-latin-america