# Money Laundering Related Articles

HTX News Center provides the latest articles and in-depth analysis on "Money Laundering", covering market trends, project updates, tech developments, and regulatory policies in the crypto industry.

From Theft to Re-entry: How Was $292 Million "Laundered"?

A sophisticated crypto laundering operation was executed following the $292 million hack of Kelp DAO on April 18. The attack, attributed to the North Korean Lazarus group, began with anonymous infrastructure preparation using Tornado Cash to fund wallets untraceably. The hacker exploited a vulnerability in Kelp’s cross-chain bridge, stealing 116,500 rsETH. To avoid crashing the market, the attacker used Aave and Compound as laundering tools—depositing the stolen rsETH as collateral to borrow $190 million in clean, liquid ETH. This move triggered a bank run on Aave, causing an $8 billion drop in TVL. After consolidating funds, the attacker fragmented them across hundreds of wallets to evade detection. A major breakpoint was THORChain, where over $460 million in volume—30 times its usual activity—was processed in 24 hours, converting ETH into Bitcoin. This shift to Bitcoin’s UTXO model exponentially increased tracing complexity by shattering funds into countless untraceable fragments. The final destination was Tron-based USDT, the primary channel for illicit crypto flows. From there, funds were cashed out via OTC brokers in China and Southeast Asia, using unlicensed underground banks and UnionPay networks outside Western sanctions scope. Ultimately, the laundered money supports North Korea’s weapons programs, which rely heavily on crypto hacking for foreign currency. The incident underscores structural challenges in DeFi: its openness, composability, and lack of central control make such laundering not just possible, but inherently difficult to prevent.

marsbit04/26 07:12

From Theft to Re-entry: How Was $292 Million "Laundered"?

marsbit04/26 07:12

Crypto Reckoning? US Banks Urge Stricter AML And Sanctions Rules–Industry Pushes Back

A renewed push by the Bank Policy Institute (BPI) to tighten anti-money laundering (AML) and sanctions rules for cryptocurrencies has sparked debate between traditional banks and crypto advocates. BPI argues that crypto is increasingly used for illicit activities, citing data that illicit addresses received $154 billion in 2025. They call for Congress to impose bank-like compliance obligations on crypto firms to ensure fairness and protect national security. In response, Coinbase’s Chief Policy Officer Faryad Shirzad criticized BPI’s framing, noting that illicit activity represents less than 1.2% of total crypto volume—comparable to or lower than the estimated 2–5% of global GDP laundered through traditional finance. While acknowledging the need for regulation, Shirzad emphasized that crypto industry participants already invest in AML efforts and sanctions screening, and rejected the narrative that crypto is dominated by criminal use.

bitcoinist04/25 07:31

Crypto Reckoning? US Banks Urge Stricter AML And Sanctions Rules–Industry Pushes Back

bitcoinist04/25 07:31

North Korean Hackers Loot $500 Million in a Single Month, Becoming the Top Threat to Crypto Security

North Korean hackers, particularly the notorious Lazarus Group and its subgroup TraderTraitor, have stolen over $500 million from cryptocurrency DeFi platforms in less than three weeks, bringing their total theft for the year to over $700 million. Recent major attacks on Drift Protocol and KelpDAO, resulting in losses of approximately $286 million and $290 million respectively, highlight a strategic shift: instead of targeting core smart contracts, attackers are now exploiting vulnerabilities in peripheral infrastructure. For instance, the KelpDAO attack involved compromising downstream RPC infrastructure used by LayerZero's decentralized validation network (DVN), allowing manipulation without breaching core cryptography. This sophisticated approach mirrors advanced corporate cyber-espionage. Additionally, North Korea has systematically infiltrated the global crypto workforce, with an estimated 100 operatives using fake identities to gain employment at blockchain companies, enabling long-term access to sensitive systems and facilitating large-scale thefts. According to Chainalysis, North Korean-linked hackers stole a record $2 billion in 2025, accounting for 60% of all global crypto theft that year. Their total historical crypto theft has reached $6.75 billion. Post-theft, they employ specialized money laundering methods, heavily relying on Chinese OTC brokers and cross-chain mixing services rather than standard decentralized exchanges. Security experts, while acknowledging the increased sophistication, emphasize that many attacks still exploit fundamental weaknesses like poor access controls and centralized operational risks. Strengthening private key management, limiting privileged access, and enhancing coordination among exchanges, analysts, and law enforcement immediately after an attack are critical to improving defense and fund recovery chances. The industry's challenge now extends beyond secure smart contracts to safeguarding operational security at the infrastructure level.

marsbit04/23 01:49

North Korean Hackers Loot $500 Million in a Single Month, Becoming the Top Threat to Crypto Security

marsbit04/23 01:49

Crypto Investigator Exposes North Korea’s Secret $1 Million A Month Scheme

Cryptocurrency investigator ZachXBT exposed a North Korean state-sponsored IT worker scheme generating over $1 million per month. An infostealer malware breach revealed an internal payment server (luckyguys[.]site) used by DPRK operatives to manage crypto payments and fake identities. The data included chat logs, transaction histories, and organizational details, showing over $3.5 million flowed through linked wallets since late 2025. Workers posed as freelancers, used fabricated identities, and targeted DeFi projects. The operation, though less sophisticated than other DPRK hacking groups, highlights the regime's use of crypto for revenue generation and sanctions evasion. The site was taken down after the report.

bitcoinist04/09 15:02

Crypto Investigator Exposes North Korea’s Secret $1 Million A Month Scheme

bitcoinist04/09 15:02

US Prosecutors Reject Tornado Cash Founder’s Defense Amid Push For October Retrial

US prosecutors have rejected Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm's defense, claiming his arguments for dismissal are not applicable. They refuted his comparison to a Supreme Court case involving an internet service provider, arguing Storm intentionally implemented weak measures to counter criminal use of the crypto mixer. Prosecutors are pushing for a retrial in October 2026 on two deadlocked charges from his initial trial, where he was found guilty of operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. A key hearing on Storm's motion for acquittal is scheduled for April 9.

bitcoinist04/08 09:49

US Prosecutors Reject Tornado Cash Founder’s Defense Amid Push For October Retrial

bitcoinist04/08 09:49

DOJ rejects Roman Storm defense, says Supreme Court precedent does not apply to Tornado Cash case

U.S. prosecutors have rejected Roman Storm's defense argument that a recent Supreme Court ruling (Cox Communications v. Sony Music) should dismiss criminal charges against him related to Tornado Cash. Storm’s legal team argued that providing a neutral tool with legitimate uses does not establish criminal intent, even with knowledge of potential misuse. The Department of Justice countered that the cited case concerns civil liability and is irrelevant to Storm’s criminal charges for money laundering, sanctions violations, and operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. The case highlights a key conflict in crypto regulation: whether developers of decentralized protocols can be held liable for how users misuse their tools. The outcome may set a significant precedent for developer liability and impact the future of DeFi and privacy-focused software.

ambcrypto04/07 15:32

DOJ rejects Roman Storm defense, says Supreme Court precedent does not apply to Tornado Cash case

ambcrypto04/07 15:32

CertiK Releases Cryptocurrency ATM Fraud Report: Losses Reach $330 Million, AI Scams and Cross-Border Money Laundering Emerge as Major Threats

CertiK's "Skynet Cryptocurrency ATM Fraud Report" reveals that losses from such scams reached $330 million in 2025, a 33% year-on-year increase, making it one of the fastest-growing financial crimes in the U.S. The report highlights that these scams have evolved into a highly organized transnational criminal industry, leveraging social engineering and AI technologies. Cryptocurrency ATMs, with 78% located in the U.S., serve as a rapid channel for fraudsters to transfer funds. Victims, often elderly individuals who account for 86% of the losses, are manipulated via phone calls or messages to deposit cash into these machines. The funds are quickly converted into cryptocurrency and transferred to wallets controlled by criminals, making recovery nearly impossible once the transaction is on the blockchain. AI-driven scams, including voice cloning and deepfake videos, have proven 4.5 times more profitable than traditional methods. Criminal networks use automated scripts and employ "smurfing" tactics to bypass transaction limits. The illicit funds are rapidly laundered through mixing services, cross-chain bridges, and decentralized exchanges, often within minutes. The report emphasizes that the only effective intervention point is at the transaction entry level, before funds are on-chain. It calls for enhanced KYC measures, industry-wide intelligence sharing, real-time risk screening, and stronger cross-border law enforcement cooperation to combat this escalating threat.

marsbit04/02 07:36

CertiK Releases Cryptocurrency ATM Fraud Report: Losses Reach $330 Million, AI Scams and Cross-Border Money Laundering Emerge as Major Threats

marsbit04/02 07:36

Hong Kong Freezes Stablecoin Rollout, Leaving HSBC, Standard Chartered Waiting

Hong Kong has postponed the issuance of its first batch of stablecoin licenses, delaying approvals for major applicants like HSBC and Standard Chartered. The delay, attributed to money laundering concerns, may lead to stricter KYC regulations. This setback affects 36 applicants and follows mainland China's earlier crackdown on stablecoins due to regulatory and illegal activity risks. Despite initial plans to issue a small number of licenses in March, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has not yet granted any approvals. The article also notes similar regulatory delays in South Korea, while Japan and the U.S. have advanced their stablecoin frameworks. The stablecoin market cap remains strong at $316 billion, a new all-time high. Bitcoin is trading around $68,700, down 4% over the week.

bitcoinist04/02 07:01

Hong Kong Freezes Stablecoin Rollout, Leaving HSBC, Standard Chartered Waiting

bitcoinist04/02 07:01

Crypto ATMs face 60-day removal order in U.S. city – Report

Haverhill, Massachusetts, has proposed a ban on all cryptocurrency ATMs, citing risks of financial fraud, money laundering, and lack of consumer protection. Mayor Melinda E. Barrett's ordinance, which received strong council support, requires removal of all machines within 60 days or a $300 daily fine per machine. The city has about 415 crypto ATMs. Bitcoin Depot, the largest operator, faces particular scrutiny after revenue losses, a CEO change, and a lawsuit from the state Attorney General. Similar actions are occurring in other cities like South Hadley, Waltham, and Gloucester, while New Hampshire has passed legislation to reimburse scam victims.

ambcrypto04/01 12:04

Crypto ATMs face 60-day removal order in U.S. city – Report

ambcrypto04/01 12:04

Crypto Grey Zone Explodes: Why Vietnam’s ONUS Bust Is A Warning To Retail Traders

Vietnam's police dismantled a massive multi-billion dollar crypto scam centered on the investment platform ONUS, arresting seven individuals including its founder. The scheme involved creating and selling fake digital currencies while manipulating their prices to lure investors, leaving millions of users affected. This case highlights Vietnam's status as a hotspot for crypto fraud, exacerbated by regulatory grey zones that scammers exploit. The incident serves as a critical warning to retail traders about the high jurisdictional and counterparty risks in emerging markets, where enforcement can shift abruptly and liquidity vanish quickly.

bitcoinist03/27 13:32

Crypto Grey Zone Explodes: Why Vietnam’s ONUS Bust Is A Warning To Retail Traders