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Ferrari 458 worth $600,000 seized by police in Sydney, NSW, over $5.5million cryptocurrency scam

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Ferrari 458 worth 0,000 seized by police in Sydney, NSW, over .5million cryptocurrency scam

Warehouse full of luxury cars and motorbikes raided as cops seize $600k Ferrari 458 over ‘$5.5million crypto scam’

  • Two men arrested over alleged cryptocurrency scam
  • Millions of dollars worth of luxury goods seized 

Luxury cars, Ducati motorcycles, designer watches and nunchucks are among a haul of goods seized by detectives investigating a multi-million dollar crypto scam.

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Two men have been charged following sweeping raids across Sydney as part of a four-month investigation into the defrauding of two companies out of $5.5million.

About $2.7million worth of vehicles were seized, including a $600,000 bright red Ferrari 458.

Dramatic footage shows officers busting down the doors of properties at Cromer, in the city’s north, about 8pm last Friday as cops searched a home and warehouse.

Inside the warehouse, officers found a collection of extravagant vehicles stacked in racks lining the walls, including six luxury and classic cars and 11 motorcycles.

Strike Force Scotland detectives raided a warehouse (pictured) and home in Cromer, in Sydney’s north, last Friday 

Police have seized around $2.7million worth of luxury cars - including the above red Ferrari

Police have seized around $2.7million worth of luxury cars – including the above red Ferrari 

The luxury vehicle was located and seized from a dealership in Marrickville

The luxury vehicle was located and seized from a dealership in Marrickville

Officers also found seven luxury watches, nunchucks, and cryptocurrency wallets at the sites. 

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Moments before the raids, detectives pulled over and arrested a 39-year-old man as he drove a silver Audi along Orlando Road, in Cromer. 

He was taken Manly Police Station where he was charged with three counts each of fraud and proceeds of crime offences.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Saturday, where he was formally refused bail. 

Following the raids, detectives seized the Ferrari 458 from a car dealership at Marrickville, in Sydney’s inner west

A second man, 67, was arrested at Manly Police Station about 2pm on Wednesday and charged with dealing with the property of crime valued at more than $100,000. 

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Police will allege in court that the younger man defrauded two companies using a cryptocurrency scam, whilst the older man authorised funds and arranged the disposal of the Ferrari on behalf of the younger man to avoid police detection.

A 39-year-old man driving a silver Audi was arrested moments earlier and has been charged alleged fraud offences

A 39-year-old man driving a silver Audi was arrested moments earlier and has been charged alleged fraud offences

Police are pictured entering the warehouse in Cromer last Friday

Police are pictured entering the warehouse in Cromer last Friday

The arrests come after Strike Force Scotland was launched by Financial Crimes Squad detectives in March to investigate the alleged scam dating back to 2021. 

State Crime Command’s financial crimes squad commander Detective Superintendent Gordon Arbinja said the investigation was a timely reminder for people to exercise due diligence when buying or selling cryptocurrency.

‘Cryptocurrency isn’t illegal, but it is imperative that it’s handled responsibly to avoid being scammed,’ he said.

‘When buying or selling crypto, make sure you use a digital currency exchange that is approved by AUSTRAC and always scrutinise all the details.

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‘If you think you’ve been the victim of a scam, contact ScamWatch and your local police immediately.’

The 39-year-old man is due to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on August 24 . 

The 67-year-old was granted conditional bail to appear at Manly Local Court on September 6. 

Among the items seized were Ducati motorcycles

Among the items seized were Ducati motorcycles 

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SEC Reports Record $8.2B in Remedies With 583 Enforcement Actions in 2024 – Regulation Bitcoin News

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SEC Reports Record .2B in Remedies With 583 Enforcement Actions in 2024 – Regulation Bitcoin News
SEC Reports Record $8.2B in Remedies With 583 Enforcement Actions in 2024The SEC’s record-breaking enforcement year revealed unprecedented financial penalties and bold action against high-risk sectors, including crypto and private funds, marking a pivotal moment for market regulation. SEC Achieves Historic $8.2B in Remedies From 583 Enforcement Actions in 2024 The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced on Friday a record-breaking year for enforcement in […]
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Bitcoin values hit record highs. Should you invest in cryptocurrency? Here’s how it works

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Bitcoin values hit record highs. Should you invest in cryptocurrency? Here’s how it works
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If it seems everyone is talking about bitcoin these days, you’re onto something.

The digital currency has been hitting record highs and neared $100,000 this past week, having doubled in value throughout 2024. Launched in 2009, bitcoin is the first cryptocurrency, meaning that it’s a digital currency and does not rely on banks to verify transactions.

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Bitcoin’s surge – up about 130% this year – is one of the “Trump trades,” market moves that have kicked in since former President Donald Trump’s victory in the Nov. 5 election.

Trump has dabbled in cryptocurrency – releasing crypto-based digital trading cards – and Trump Media and Technology Group, which operates Truth Social, is reportedly close to acquiring crypto trading firm Bakkt. The Trump family launched its own crypto firm, World Liberty Financial, in September.

Investors have wagered Trump’s support for bitcoin and other digital assets will lead to fewer restrictions on the industry. During the presidential campaign, Trump said he would make America the “world capital for crypto and bitcoin.”

Trump has tapped Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder Elon Musk to co-lead, with Vivek Ramaswamy, the new Department of Government Efficiency, or D.O.G.E. It’s an acronym for cryptocurrency called Dogecoin, which Musk supported as it became a phenomenon in 2021. 

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Been hit with the bitcoin buzz, but don’t quite understand it? Here’s some bitcoin basics.

What is bitcoin?

Bitcoin is a digital asset, launched in 2009 by a person or group known as Satoshi Nakamoto and designed to have a cap of 21 million bitcoin tokens. Bitcoin is created as crypto miners use their computing work to validate bitcoin transactions on its decentralized blockchain network, essentially a digital ledger meant to prevent fraud. As the crypto miners work, they earn bitcoin.

So far, about 19 million tokens have been released. In April, bitcoin underwent a “halving,” which kicks in about every four years to reduce the rate at which new bitcoins are created and released into circulation. As the bitcoin cap of 21 million tokens nears, demand likely increases, according to Investopedia.

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Currently, a bitcoin is worth about $98,000. But the ownership of fractional shares of bitcoin is common, notes NerdWallet.

What are bitcoin ETFs?

It’s Trump’s interest in bitcoin alone that’s led to bitcoin’s climb. Earlier this year, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission voted to allow the sale of bitcoin-based exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, to the public.

That action allowed more investors to get into bitcoin in a similar manner to how they invest in stocks, bypassing crypto exchanges.

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How does bitcoin work?

Like the dollar, bitcoin can be used as currency, but it’s virtual and isn’t controlled by banks or governments. While an entire bitcoin is priced at nearly $100,000, you can own partial shares of each coin. The smallest share of each bitcoin is called a Satoshi – after the cryptocurrency’s creator – equal to a hundred millionth of one bitcoin, according to NerdWallet.

You can buy bitcoin on a crypto exchange such as Binance.US, online stockbrokers including Fidelity and E-Trade, and trading apps like Robinhood.

If you buy bitcoin on a crypto exchange, you will create a “crypto wallet” to hold your bitcoin. If you invest in those bitcoin ETFs the SEC approved earlier this year, online brokers will hold your bitcoin in your brokerage account as any other investment.

What can I buy with bitcoin?

Pretty much anything. For instance, you can get a bitcoin debit card, which you load with a certain amount of your cryptocurrency holdings. That can be used as you would any debit card.

Beyond that, many companies now accept cryptocurrency for purchases including AT&T, Microsoft, Rolex, Time Inc., and Tesla, notes Investopedia.

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You can buy “art,” too. That banana duct-taped to a wall, which sold last week for $6.2 million? The buyer paid in crypto.

What concerns are there about bitcoin and cryptocurrencies?

Back in 2018, investment guru Warren Buffett predicted that cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, will likely “come to a bad ending.” His stance hasn’t really changed, reported Nasdaq.com.

But many point to the surge in bitcoin’s valuation as a sign the cryptocurrency has arrived. Anthony Scaramucci, founder of Skybridge and a former White House director of communications, has said Bitcoin could exceed $170,000 by mid-2025, and Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood has predicted Bitcoin will hit $1.48 million by 2030, Fortune reported.

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However, crypto exchanges can fail. The 2022 bankruptcy of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange resulted in customers losing $8 billion; founder Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison in March.

Bitcoin values dipped after that, but have since risen to new heights – because, supporters say, as more people invest in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, the currencies become more stable.

Volatility can be seen as an advantage for those in search of future earnings – or as a disadvantage for those seeking somewhat stable investments.

“Remember that bitcoin and crypto are highly volatile, and may be more susceptible to market manipulation than securities,” notes Fidelity Investments in a primer for investors. “Crypto holders do not benefit from the same regulatory protections applicable to registered securities, and the future regulatory environment for crypto is currently uncertain.”

Maybe think about investing in bitcoin as you would joining the wave of online bettors. “If you decide to buy Bitcoin, it’s a good rule of thumb to invest only what you can afford to lose,” writes NerdWallet’s Kevin Voigt, “and take measures to protect your assets.”

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Contributing: Daniel de Visé, Jessica Guynn, Max Hauptman, Jonathan Limehouse and Bailey Schulz of USA TODAY, and Reuters.

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

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Musk Tweet Sparks Dogecoin Surge, Fuels Speculation On X Payments

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Musk Tweet Sparks Dogecoin Surge, Fuels Speculation On X Payments

Dogecoin DOGE/USD experienced a 5% surge following a tweet by Elon Musk on X. This has sparked fresh speculations about the imminent payments service on Musk’s social app.

What Happened: Musk’s Friday post, which featured a screenshot of podcaster Joe Rogan’s X profile, triggered the increase in Dogecoin’s price.

The post displayed a unique dollar icon, different from the app’s tipping service, leading to speculations that it could be related to the anticipated X Payments service.

Musk responded to the speculation with a simple “true”, further fueling the rumors. Dogecoin’s price has historically been influenced by payment-related news from any of Musk’s ventures, including X, formerly known as Twitter.

There are speculations that once the service is live, it might support transactions with digital assets like DOGE, given Musk’s known fondness for the token.

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Musk’s electric car company, already accepts DOGE payments for certain merchandise purchases in its online store.

Also Read: Dogecoin’s Active Users On The Rise, Will This Impact DOGE Price?

Over the past 24 hours, DOGE has advanced 6.16% and at the time of writing it was trading at $0.4332, outperforming the stagnant Bitcoin BTC/USD prices. The token has risen 190% over the past month, trading at its highest level since May 2021.

Why It Matters: The surge in Dogecoin’s price following Musk’s tweet is significant as it highlights the influence Musk has over the cryptocurrency market.

His tweet sparked speculations about the forthcoming X Payments service, which could potentially support transactions with digital assets like DOGE.

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This is particularly noteworthy given Musk’s known fondness for the token and the fact that his electric car company, Tesla Inc., already accepts DOGE payments for certain merchandise purchases.

The rise in DOGE’s price also outperformed the stagnant bitcoin prices, indicating a growing interest in alternative cryptocurrencies.

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Crypto Analyst Predicts This Altcoin Will Explode 260% In 2024, And It’s Not Dogecoin Or Shiba Inu

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