Market
DOJ Arrests $73 Million International Pig Butchering Fraudsters
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has arrested two Chinese nationals, Daren Li and Yicheng Zhang, for orchestrating a massive crypto scam known as “pig butchering.” This scheme led to the laundering of at least $73 million.
The arrests highlight that pig butchering scams remain a significant concern in the crypto industry.
The Duo Ran an International Scam Syndicate
According to the DOJ, officials arrested Li on April 12 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and transported him to the Central District of California. Meanwhile, Zhang was arrested in Los Angeles.
“We announce the arrests of two foreign nationals charged for leading a scheme to launder funds tied to an international crypto investment scam. Crypto investment scams exploit the borderless nature of virtual currency and online communications to defraud victims,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said.
The DOJ discovered extensive coordination from their communications to facilitate international money laundering, including chats discussing the network’s commission structure, various shell companies used, victim information, and at least one video of a conspirator calling a US financial institution.
Li and Zhang managed an international syndicate of pig butchering investment scams. The duo instructed co-conspirators in the laundering network to open bank accounts in the names of shell companies. Once the victims sent funds to the shell companies, Li and Zhang monitored the lower-level co-conspirators who transferred the proceeds overseas to bank accounts at Deltec Bank in The Bahamas.
The scheme involved more than $73 million converted to the USDT stablecoin. Additionally, a cryptocurrency wallet in the scheme received more than $341 million in virtual assets.
Li and Zhang are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and six substantive counts of international money laundering. They face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count if convicted.
In response to this case, Assistant Director of Investigations Brian Lambert of the US Secret Service explained that the US financial infrastructure is under threat from complex financial fraud schemes.
“Complex financial fraud schemes such as pig butchering present a clear and present threat to the financial infrastructure of the US as countless numbers of Americans continue to be victimized by this predatory activity,” Lambert said.
Lambert’s statement aligns with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) data. According to the 2023 Internet Crime Report from the FBI, investment fraud was the costliest crime tracked by IC3.
Read more: Crypto Scam Projects: How To Spot Fake Tokens
Losses to investment scams rose from $3.31 billion in 2022 to $4.57 billion in 2023, a 38% increase. Confidence/romance crimes accounted for 17,823 complaints throughout the year.
False Promises and Empty Wallets: The Anatomy of Pig Butchering Scams
Pig butchering scams involve fraudsters creating fake identities to connect with potential victims, typically via text messages, social media platforms, or dating apps. Gradually, these scammers build seemingly genuine relationships with their targets through regular and friendly interactions. This method resembles the practice of fattening a pig before butchery, hence the name.
Once relationships are established, scammers introduce cryptocurrency into the dialogue. They typically don’t request money or cryptocurrency directly. Instead, they offer to help victims with their investment strategies and direct them to send money to platforms under their control.
Initially, victims may transfer small amounts to a cryptocurrency exchange. To keep the scam believable, scammers provide fake account information showing the victims’ investments are increasing.
They might even allow victims to withdraw a portion of their initial investment to appear legitimate. Scammers persist in pressuring victims to send more money until they are completely drained of funds.
Read more: 15 Most Common Crypto Scams To Look Out For
A United Nations report describes the Mekong region of Southeast Asia as the primary hub for this criminal activity. An increasing number of casinos blend with ungoverned borders and armed groups in Myanmar’s long-running civil conflict. This background creates ideal conditions for massive money-laundering operations.
Disclaimer
In adherence to the Trust Project guidelines, BeInCrypto is committed to unbiased, transparent reporting. This news article aims to provide accurate, timely information. However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.
Market
Base DEX Volume Approaches $3 Billion Amid Growing Adoption
Base, Coinbase’s Layer-2 (L2) blockchain solution, has reached new heights, setting an all-time high daily decentralized exchange (DEX) trading volume near $3 billion.
This milestone reflects Base’s growing prominence in the L2 space and its role in scaling on-chain transactions for Coinbase users.
Base Hits New Milestone in DEX Volume
Blockchain analyst Dan Smith highlighted Base L2’s record-breaking volume of $2.9 billion, including $1.3 billion in ETH-USD trading, which also hit an all-time high. Other trading pairs, such as ETH-cbBTC and BTC-USD, were close to breaking their own records.
The $2.9 billion DEX volume reflects Base’s growing appeal among traders, particularly in ETH-USD pairs, which benefited from recent price volatility. Alexander, another blockchain enthusiast, noted that this milestone marked the first time Base nearly tagged $3 billion in daily volume, alluding to the development as evidence of L2’s growing adoption.
AerodromeFi, a liquidity-focused decentralized protocol on Base, also recorded an all-time high of $1.68 billion in volume, further emphasizing the ecosystem’s momentum.
“This is the first time Base nearly passed $3 billion and AerodromeFi set a new ATH of $1.68 billion in volume,” Alexander commented.
Base’s success is particularly notable because it operates without a native token. Coinbase explicitly ruled out launching a token for Base, prioritizing ecosystem growth and user adoption instead. This approach has likely contributed to its traction by focusing on utility and reducing speculative risks that could deter long-term users.
“There are no plans for a Base network token. We are focused on building, and we want to solve real problems that let you build better,” Base lead developer Jesse Pollak stated recently.
Consistent Growth in Transactions and TVL
The recent achievement follows Base’s earlier milestones, including reaching one billion transactions two months ago and surpassing six million daily transactions in October. More closely, the network recently outpaced Ethereum in user growth amid growing crypto markets.
Additionally, Base’s Total Value Locked (TVL) has seen consistent growth, indicating increased user participation, asset inflows, and liquidity within its ecosystem. A rising TVL signals greater confidence in the platform, fostering a stronger and more sustainable DeFi environment.
Despite its impressive growth, Base has faced some criticism. The network was accused of copying aspects of an NFT project, sparking concerns over originality and intellectual property. While this controversy did not deter adoption, it highlights the challenges of rapid innovation in the competitive blockchain space.
Base’s trajectory positions it as a serious contender in the L2 space, competing with established players like Arbitrum (ARB) and Optimism (OP). Its emphasis on utility, combined with rising user participation and liquidity, paints a promising picture for its future.
Disclaimer
In adherence to the Trust Project guidelines, BeInCrypto is committed to unbiased, transparent reporting. This news article aims to provide accurate, timely information. However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.
Market
Is a Drop Below $0.92 Inevitable?
Cardano’s recent sideways price action has led to a surge in demand for short positions among futures traders.
As the coin’s momentum slows, traders are increasingly betting on a price decline, signaling a bearish sentiment toward ADA.
Cardano Traders Bet on a Price Decline
According to Coinglass, ADA’s Long/Short Ratio is at a monthly low of 0.82, indicating a high demand for short positions.
An asset’s Long/Short Ratio compares the number of its long (buy) positions to short (sell) positions in a market. As with ADA, when the ratio is below one, more traders are betting on the price falling (shorting) rather than rising. If short sellers continue to dominate, this can increase the downward pressure on the asset’s price.
Additionally, ADA’s Weighted Sentiment remains negative, currently standing at -0.074, reinforcing the bearish outlook for the altcoin.
Weighted Sentiment gauges the overall market bias by analyzing the volume and tone of social media mentions. A negative value signals growing skepticism among investors, often leading to reduced trading activity and downward pressure on the asset’s price.
Notably, ADA whales have reduced their trading activity over the past week, with the coin’s large holders’ netflow dropping by 90.29%, according to IntoTheBlock.
Large holders, defined as addresses holding more than 0.1% of an asset’s circulating supply, play a significant role in market movements. A decline in their netflow indicates reduced buying activity, adding to the downward pressure on ADA’s price.
ADA Price Prediction: Recovery to $1 or Decline to $0.80?
ADA is currently trading at $0.98, hovering just above its support level of $0.90. If bearish pressure intensifies, the price may test this support. A failure to hold at $0.90 could see ADA’s decline extend further, potentially dropping to $0.80.
Conversely, if buying activity resurges, ADA’s price could stabilize above the $1 mark.
Disclaimer
In line with the Trust Project guidelines, this price analysis article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. BeInCrypto is committed to accurate, unbiased reporting, but market conditions are subject to change without notice. Always conduct your own research and consult with a professional before making any financial decisions. Please note that our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.
Market
Will It Smash Another ATH?
Bitcoin price started a fresh increase above the $104,000 zone. BTC is consolidating above $105,000 and might aim for a new all-time high.
- Bitcoin started a decent increase above the $102,500 resistance zone.
- The price is trading above $104,500 and the 100 hourly Simple moving average.
- There was a break above a connecting bearish trend line with resistance at $104,000 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken).
- The pair could start another increase if it stays above the $103,500 support zone.
Bitcoin Price Regains Traction
Bitcoin price started a decent upward move above the $102,500 zone. BTC was able to climb above the $103,500 and $104,000 levels.
The bulls even pushed the price above the $105,000 level. Besides, there was a break above a connecting bearish trend line with resistance at $104,000 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. The pair surpassed the 50% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $109,112 swing high to the $100,114 low.
Bitcoin price is now trading above $104,500 and the 100 hourly Simple moving average. On the upside, immediate resistance is near the $107,000 level. It is close to the 76.4% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $109,112 swing high to the $100,114 low.
The first key resistance is near the $107,500 level. A clear move above the $107,500 resistance might send the price higher. The next key resistance could be $109,000.
A close above the $109,000 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $110,000 resistance level and a new all-time high. Any more gains might send the price toward the $112,500 level.
Downside Correction In BTC?
If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $107,000 resistance zone, it could start a downside correction. Immediate support on the downside is near the $104,500 level. The first major support is near the $103,500 level.
The next support is now near the $102,800 zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $100,500 support in the near term.
Technical indicators:
Hourly MACD – The MACD is now gaining pace in the bullish zone.
Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now above the 50 level.
Major Support Levels – $104,500, followed by $103,500.
Major Resistance Levels – $107,000 and $108,500.
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