Crypto

Terror groups receive $1.7b. from Iran through Binance | The Jerusalem Post

Published

3 weeks ago

February 26, 2026

Terror groups receive .7b. from Iran through Binance | The Jerusalem Post

Iranians were able to access more than 1,500 Binance accounts last year, and $1.7 billion was transferred from two of them to terrorist proxies, The New York Times reported Monday.

That was a potential violation of global sanctions, the report said, citing company records and documents collected by internal investigators.

The cryptocurrency exchange site reportedly fired or suspended at least four employees cited in the internal investigation. The company blamed “violations of company protocol” relating to its clients’ data, the Times reported.

The report came days after The Jerusalem Post spoke with experts from blockchain intelligence platform NOMINIS.io about how the Iranian regime was evading Western sanctions through cryptocurrencies.

The regime maintains a steady income using cryptocurrency through oil sales to Russia and China, NOMINIS CEO Snir Levi said at the time.

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who pleaded guilty to failing to implement a program to prevent money laundering, arrives for his sentencing in federal district court in Seattle, Washington. (credit: REUTERS/Deborah Bloom)

Regarding the latest scandal, he told the Post this week: “The latest allegations about Binance come months after the lawsuit by the victims’ families of October 7 – the ongoing Balva [versus] Binance case.

The majority of the allegations can be easily confirmed by on-chain data. There are thousands of cases where money has been sent and received to and from wallets that have clear connections to Iran.”

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao is being sued by the families of American victims and hostages of the October 7 massacre. He has been accused of knowingly enabling Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to transfer more than $1b. through its platform, including more than $50 million after the October 7 massacre.

Zhao pleaded guilty to anti-money-laundering violations in connection with Binance in 2023. US President Donald Trump pardoned him last October.

“They say what he did was not even a crime,” Trump told reporters last October. “It wasn’t a crime. That he was persecuted by the Biden administration, and so I gave him a pardon at the request of a lot of very good people.”

Binance representative Rachel Conlan said the accounts linked to the $1.7b. in Iranian transactions have been removed and the relevant authorities were informed.

“Any suggestion that Binance knowingly allowed sanctionable activity to continue unchecked is incorrect and defamatory,” she said, despite Zhao’s earlier admission of anti-money-laundering violations.

More than half a dozen compliance officials have left Binance, including a sanctions manager and the leader of the enterprise compliance team, over the past few months, the Times reported.

“No investigator was dismissed for raising compliance concerns or for reporting potential sanctions issues,” Conlan said in a statement to The Guardian.

Democrat senator opens inquiry into cryptocurrency company

While Conlan insisted there was no wrongdoing, US Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) opened an inquiry into Binance on Tuesday, seeking records of the company’s dealings in Hong Kong , where funds have previously been transferred in a network against sanctions.

“Binance appears to have ignored warnings and recommendations to prevent Iranian money-laundering schemes on its cryptocurrency exchange,” Blumenthal wrote in a letter to Binance co-chief executive Richard Teng.

“According to documents obtained by the Times and the Journal, Binance was even warned that Hexa Whale was financing terrorist organizations such as the Yemeni Houthis, and internal investigators found cryptocurrency transfers to wallets associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and payments to crew members of Russia’s sanctions-evading shadow fleet of oil tankers,” he wrote.

“Instead of actually preventing illicit use, Binance has sought to evade accountability and influence the White House through lobbying and a financial partnership with World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the cryptocurrency firm owned by the sons of President Trump and his special envoy Steve Witkoff… This influence campaign has worked: In May 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it was dismissing a lawsuit against Binance for lying to regulators and mishandling funds, followed in October by the stunning Presidential pardon of founder Changpeng Zhao.”

“The scale of the newly revealed illicit transfers – uncaught until nearly $2 billion flowed to sanctioned entities – and the unexplained firing of internal investigators call into question Binance’s compliance with American sanctions and banking laws, and its 2023 agreement to resolve the previous federal investigation,” Blumenthal wrote.

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Crypto

Cryptocurrency fraud costs Okaloosa County resident over $500k

Published

4 hours ago

March 21, 2026

Press Room

Video above: ‘News 5 Now’ — Top Stories from March 20, 2026 OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG) — The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents of a fraud scheme after a resident lost over $500,000. According to a Facebook post from the OCSO, the victim reached out to law enforcement and said he’d been contacted […]

Crypto

Scam Jam: Avoiding Modern Romance & Cryptocurrency Scams | FFXnow

Published

16 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Press Room

Scam Jam: Avoiding Modern Romance & Cryptocurrency Scams | FFXnow

The Fairfax Scam Jam unpacks two of the fastest‑growing threats: romance‑based investment schemes and cryptocurrency fraud. Scammers often initiate contact through friendly wrong‑number texts, dating apps, and social media, then spend weeks or months building trust. Once a relationship feels established, victims are encouraged to “invest” in cryptocurrency, gold, or foreign currency through fraudulent platforms operated by criminal organizations.

You’ll learn how these schemes operate step‑by‑step, the psychological tactics scammers use, and the financial and emotional devastation they leave behind. Presenters will share actionable tools for recognizing early warning signs, having preventative conversations with loved ones, reporting fraud, and recovering when possible. Whether you’re new to digital safety or a seasoned advocate, this year’s Scam Jam will give you the knowledge you need to stay a step ahead of scammers.

The 9th Annual Fairfax Scam Jam is a community collaboration between AARP Virginia and the Fairfax County Silver Shield Anti-Scam Program.

Resource Fair exhibitors will be on hand until 1 p.m.

Representatives from county, state and federal agencies will be available to answer your fraud and scam questions one-on-one.

Complimentary lunch is provided to registered guests.

Crypto

Wood County Sheriff’s Department pushes for cryptocurrency kiosk protections

Published

1 day ago

March 20, 2026

Press Room

Wood County Sheriff’s Department pushes for cryptocurrency kiosk protections

WOOD COUNTY, Wis. (WSAW) – The Wood County Sheriff’s Department is hoping a bill that would protect victims from scams involving cryptocurrency kiosks will soon be signed into law. It passed with bipartisan support on Tuesday.

Sheriff Shawn Becker says they have seen many people lose thousands of dollars to scammers when using the machines

Scammers have used kiosks to take thousands of dollars from victims in north central Wisconsin. Scammers convince people to first deposit cash. It’s then turned into bitcoin and sent to scammers.

The Wood County Sheriff’s Department first received complaints about scams involving cryptocurrency kiosks three years ago. Since then, they’ve been investigating reports and testifying for change.

Sheriff Shawn Becker has been sounding the alarm.

“We did push, we did communicate, communicate with our law enforcement agencies, communicate with other legislators, anybody that would be willing to listen,” Becker said.

Legislation passes with bipartisan support

Lawmakers have been working to impose regulations on these kiosks. One element would require operators to reimburse victims.

“I’m hoping that we can go retroactively to the investigations that we’ve been handling and where we’ve kept the money at the sheriff’s department, and we can give it right back to that victim. And that’s going to be a great day, quite honestly,” Becker said.

The department has thousands of dollars in evidence they seized that they’ll be able to return to victims if the bill is signed into law.

The legislation also includes daily $1,000 transaction limits.

“That limitation is really going to be effective, because somebody can’t walk in there with $20,000 or even more and put it into the machine,” Becker said.

It also requires operators to add warning labels to kiosks. It also requires kiosks to be more than five feet away from ATMs.

“It took many, many people to be involved in this and understand it’s a process to create legislation and we’re there. And we’re really happy with the end result,” Becker said.

Becker also gave an update about a lawsuit from last year. A crypto vendor sued the department for seizing cash from their bitcoin machines. They’ve now settled. Becker said he didn’t agree with that, but it showed they needed to continue pushing for change.

AARP Wisconsin supporting legislation

Raj Shukla is the Wisconsin state director for AARP. He said this legislation does a lot to stop scammers in their tracks and protect victims, especially since it puts $1,000 daily transaction limits on kiosks.

“That means that people won’t be losing a lifetime’s worth of life savings in just a day. It provides for receipts for every transaction so that law enforcement can track transactions and find scammers faster,” Shukla said.

Shukla said the consumer protections that exist on ATMs don’t exist on cryptocurrency machines. He said this legislation levels the playing field.

Shukla is hoping the bill is signed into law this week. He said scams involving cryptocurrency are rampant right now.

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