Court news

05:31 Court

Washington judge moves to halt Kalshi sports contracts under state gambling law

Washington court blocks Kalshi sports event contracts in state A Washington state court granted a preliminary injunction against Kalshi, temporarily barring it from offering sports-related event contracts in the state after finding the platform “offers illegal gambling activities” and solicits bets from Washington consumers. The judge said the Commodity Exchange Act does not preempt Washington law; the order could take effect no earlier than Aug. 5 after further briefing due by Aug. 3.

05:16 Court

FTC settles with two Celsius co-founders for $6.5 million over customer deception claims

FTC settles with two Celsius co-founders for $6.5 million Celsius co-founders Shlomi Daniel Leon and Hanoch “Nuke” Goldstein agreed to pay a combined $6.5 million to settle FTC claims that they misled customers about the safety, availability and management of funds deposited with the failed crypto lender. Leon will pay $4.1 million and Goldstein $2.4 million under separate court orders, while both also face restrictions on future conduct tied to crypto products and consumer data.

01:45 Court

SEC alleges Mining Automatic and owner raised $22 million in crypto mining fraud

SEC sues Mining Automatic and owner over alleged $22M crypto mining fraud The SEC sued crypto mining firm Mining Automatic and owner Zan Shaikh in federal court in Massachusetts, alleging they raised more than $22 million from over 380 investors for a mining operation but spent only about 13% on actual mining between June 2023 and May 2025. The agency says most of the money went to marketing, Shaikh’s personal spending and unrelated businesses; both defendants agreed to partial settlements without admitting or denying the allegations.

11:00 Court

Argentine judge orders urgent freeze of wallets linked to Libra token investigation

Argentine judge freezes wallets tied to Libra token probe Federal Judge Marcelo Martinez ordered the identification and urgent freezing of crypto wallets linked to the Libra token after a police report traced millions in transfers across multiple networks since May. The investigation targets wallets tied to the Libra team and activity routed through Binance, Bybit, OKX and Bitfinex in a case connected to the token launch promoted by Argentina’s president.

21:45 Court

FTX to begin $900 million fifth creditor payout on July 31

FTX to send $900M to creditors on July 31 in fifth bankruptcy payout FTX Trading and the FTX Recovery Trust will begin distributing about $900 million to eligible creditors on July 31, 2026, with Bitgo, Kraken and Payoneer handling payments. The fifth post-collapse payout covers allowed claims in the Convenience and Non-Convenience Classes that met the June 16 record date, and brings cumulative distributions since early 2025 to nearly $10 billion.

21:16 Court

Three men jailed in UK over £4 million fake police cryptocurrency fraud

UK court jails three men over £4M fake police crypto scam London’s Metropolitan Police said three men were jailed for stealing more than £4 million ($5.4 million) in cryptocurrency from eight victims by posing as police officers and directing them to fake police websites and “safe” wallets. Investigators traced the laundering network across wallets and accounts and recovered about £1 million, while Anthony Ikenwe and Kevin Nwamma got six years each and Hamza Bashir was sentenced to three years and nine months.

19:46 Court

India’s ED arrests three more in widening $58 million crypto Ponzi investigation

India arrests 3 more in $58M crypto Ponzi probe India’s Enforcement Directorate said it arrested Milan Garg, Sukhdev Thakur and Abhishek Sharma in a widening probe into an alleged $58 million crypto Ponzi that defrauded more than 248,000 investors. The agency said the scheme used fake platforms including Korvio, DGT, Hypenext and A-Global, while alleged mastermind Subhash Sharma remains missing.

13:16 Court

South Dakota Man Indicted on 29 Federal Counts in Alleged $20M Crypto Fraud

South Dakota man indicted on 29 counts in alleged $20M crypto fraud A federal grand jury charged Benjamin Paul Wiener, 43, of Sioux Falls with 29 counts including wire fraud, money laundering, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft over an alleged scheme that prosecutors say cost investors about $20 million. The DOJ says Wiener misled dozens of victims in South Dakota and Minnesota about how their money would be used, then routed funds through banks and crypto platforms; he has pleaded not guilty, and trial is set for September 2026.

04:45 Court

Dutch Court Bankrupts Knaken After €7 Million in Customer Funds Goes Missing

Dutch court bankrupts crypto platform Knaken after €7M in customer funds goes missing The Rotterdam District Court has placed Knaken Cryptohandel BV and its affiliated customer protection foundation into bankruptcy after prosecutors said the firm could no longer protect customer interests. Investigators believe about €7 million ($8 million) in customer funds is unaccounted for, around 30,000 users cannot access their assets, and prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation while administrators start liquidation.

01:30 Court

FTX sets July 31 for fifth $900 million creditor payout as recoveries top 100%

FTX to pay $900M to creditors on July 31 in fifth bankruptcy payout FTX Trading and the FTX Recovery Trust said they will distribute about $900 million to eligible creditors on July 31, pushing total estate repayments above $10 billion. Dotcom and US customer claims will reach 105% of allowed claim value, while general unsecured and digital asset loan claims rise to 103%; payments will be sent within 1-3 business days via BitGo, Kraken, or Payoneer for creditors who met the June 16 record date.

20:00 Court

FTX sets July 31 for nearly $900 million in fifth creditor distribution

FTX sets July 31 for nearly $900M creditor payout FTX said it will make its fifth creditor distribution on July 31, returning nearly $900 million to holders of approved claims in the Convenience and Non-Convenience Classes under its Chapter 11 plan. Creditors had to complete all pre-distribution steps by the June 16 record date, and payments will be sent via Kraken, Payoneer, or BitGo. FTX will also distribute $18 million to eligible Preferred Equity Holders the same day.

09:32 Court

Taiwan court gives BitShine founder 22 years over alleged $39 million crypto fraud

Taiwan court jails alleged BitShine ringleader for 22 years A Taiwan court sentenced Shih, identified as the alleged mastermind behind crypto exchange BitShine, to 22 years in prison after convicting him of fraud, money laundering and illegally operating virtual asset services. Prosecutors said the scheme caused more than NT$1.27 billion ($39 million) in losses to 1,539 victims and laundered over NT$2.3 billion ($71 million), with victims’ cash converted into USDT and sent overseas.

07:47 Court

Argentine Judge Seeks Freeze of 25 Wallets Linked to Libra Token Fund Movements

Argentine judge orders urgent freeze on wallets tied to Libra token Federal Judge Marcelo Martinez ordered the urgent identification and freezing of 25 crypto wallets that moved funds after the launch of Libra, the token promoted by President Javier Milei on social media. A federal cybercrime report said at least 10 of 17 traced transactions passed through Binance, with other wallets linked to Bybit, OKX and Bitfinex, potentially helping identify users behind about $8.2 million via KYC records.

07:36 Court

Rotterdam court declares Dutch crypto exchange Knaken bankrupt

Rotterdam court declares Dutch crypto exchange Knaken bankrupt A Rotterdam court has declared Dutch crypto exchange Knaken bankrupt after prosecutors alleged about €7 million in customer funds had gone missing. The court said Knaken had a significant shortfall in customer assets, did not inform users, and had already blocked access to the platform, leaving around 30,000 customers unable to reach their accounts.

04:46 Court

Three men jailed in London over £4 million fake-police cryptocurrency fraud

London jails three in £4M fake-police crypto scam Anthony Ikenwe, Kevin Nwamma and Hamza Bashir were sentenced at Southwark Crown Court after posing as police officers and using fake police websites to trick eight victims into handing over more than £4 million ($5.4 million) in crypto, the Metropolitan Police said. The Met has seized over £1 million and said it is still working with UK and overseas agencies to identify others in the conspiracy and recover more assets.

00:45 Court

US ITC opens Netlist patent investigation into Samsung, Google, Nvidia and others

US ITC opens Netlist patent probe into Samsung, Google, Nvidia and others The US International Trade Commission will begin an investigation on July 16, 2026 into whether Samsung Electronics, Google, NVIDIA, Broadcom and Super Micro Computer infringe Netlist patents tied to HBM and DDR5 memory products. The case targets memory used in AI servers, and if the ITC finds a violation it can block imports of the affected goods into the US.

15:47 Court

South Dakota crypto investor indicted on 29 counts in alleged $20 million fraud case

DOJ indicts Sioux Falls crypto investor in alleged $20M Ponzi scheme A federal grand jury indicted Sioux Falls crypto investor Benjamin Paul Wiener on 29 counts, accusing him of defrauding dozens of victims in South Dakota and Minnesota out of about $20 million. Prosecutors say Wiener used false statements to collect money and digital assets, routed funds through banks and crypto exchanges, and used new investor money to repay earlier clients; he pleaded not guilty on July 10 and is set for trial on Sept. 15.

08:45 Court

Texas Couple Charged in Alleged $100,000 Scam Targeting 69-Year-Old Woman

Texas couple charged after $100,000 elderly banking scam Texas police charged Imran Hossain and Zakia Hossain, both 29, with engaging in organized criminal activity and financial abuse of the elderly after a 69-year-old Hardin County woman allegedly lost her $100,000 life savings in a phone scam. Police said callers posing as bank and law enforcement officials told Vickie Nelson to withdraw and hand over cash between July 9 and 11, before the scheme was interrupted at a Family Dollar in Kountze.

06:46 Court

California duo indicted in darknet fentanyl and meth case involving crypto laundering

California pair indicted over darknet drug sales and crypto laundering U.S. prosecutors have indicted Nicholas Aguilar and Jessica Marcolina, alleging they ran “HotGirlzClub” vendor accounts on multiple darknet markets, shipped more than 500 fentanyl and meth parcels across the U.S. in a seven-month span in 2025, and laundered the proceeds through cryptocurrency. The DOJ said searches also found firearms and equipment allegedly used to make ghost guns and suppressors; each faces up to life in prison on drug conspiracy charges if convicted.

15:32 Court

Arbitrator rejects Heka’s $49 million claim against Circle over blocked USDC redemptions

Arbitrator rejects Heka’s $49M claim against Circle over USDC ban A private arbitrator upheld Circle’s decision to bar Malta-based Heka Funds from redeeming USDC, rejecting Heka’s $49 million damages claim after finding the fund acted in bad faith by concealing Tether’s backing. Court filings made public Tuesday show Circle accused Heka of structuring unusually large USDC redemptions to move dollars to Tether; the arbitrator did not make a formal market-manipulation finding and ordered Heka to pay about $166,000 in costs.

11:02 Court

Former LA deputy gets 18 months for lying in Adam Iza crypto extortion investigation

Ex-LA sheriff’s deputy gets 18 months for lying in crypto extortion probe A former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after admitting he lied to federal investigators about a 2021 extortion incident involving crypto businessman Adam Iza. Prosecutors said the deputy saw Iza threaten a victim with live ammunition before demanding $25,000; Iza remains in federal custody after multiple guilty pleas, including in a separate Connecticut bitcoin-linked kidnapping conspiracy.

14:18 Court

U.S. Court Admits Chainalysis Reactor Analysis Under Daubert in Bitcoin Fog Case

U.S. court admits Chainalysis Reactor under Daubert in Bitcoin Fog case A U.S. court found Chainalysis Reactor’s blockchain tracing methodology reliable enough for expert evidence in United States v. Sterlingov, where prosecutors alleged Roman Sterlingov ran the Bitcoin Fog mixer. Judge Randolph Moss said the tool’s clustering and attribution methods were transparent, testable and broadly accepted, rejecting the defense claim that Reactor was a “black-box” algorithm.

07:32 Court

Turkey charges 504 suspects in alleged 40 billion lira crypto-linked laundering network

Turkish prosecutors charge 504 in alleged 40 billion lira laundering network Istanbul prosecutors have accused 504 people of running an alleged money laundering scheme that moved nearly 40 billion Turkish liras from illegal betting through shell companies, jewellery stores, payment providers, POS terminals and crypto transfers. The 1,548-page indictment says the network used a digital accounting platform called M80 and sent part of the proceeds abroad after converting them into cryptocurrencies; prosecutors are seeking up to 34.5 years for alleged ringleader Türker Ak and up to 31 years for alleged manager Murat Dönmezoğlu.

03:16 Court

Armenian man pleads guilty in US over $15 million Ryuk bitcoin ransomware scheme

Ryuk ransomware suspect pleads guilty in $15M bitcoin extortion case Karen Serobovich Vardanyan, a 34-year-old Armenian national extradited from Ukraine, pleaded guilty on July 8 in Oregon to conspiracy and computer fraud for helping operate a Ryuk ransomware campaign that prosecutors say collected about 1,610 BTC worth more than $15 million from US victims. He agreed to pay over $1.1 million in restitution and faces up to 15 years in prison at sentencing.

01:46 Court

Ripple Weighed Shutting Down After SEC XRP Lawsuit, Garlinghouse Says

Ripple nearly shut down after SEC sued over XRP, Garlinghouse says Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said the company came close to shutting down after the SEC sued Ripple, him, and co-founder Chris Larsen in 2020 over XRP sales. In a July 8 podcast interview, he said Ripple considered dissolving and distributing its XRP to shareholders, but kept operating despite about $150 million in legal costs and years of stalled U.S. business.

18:20 Court

Bitcoin Policy Institute Seeks Role in New York Suit Over 39,069 Dormant Bitcoin Addresses

Bitcoin Policy Institute moves to join $293B dormant wallet lawsuit The Bitcoin Policy Institute filed on July 10 to intervene as a defendant in a New York case seeking legal title to 39,069 dormant bitcoin addresses, arguing its own long-term self-custodied treasury could be exposed if the plaintiffs win. Justice Kathy J. King is set to hear BPI’s request, Ian Cohen’s amicus bid, and John Doe 33’s motion to dismiss on July 14.

07:32 Court

Federal inmate charged over alleged transfer of $290,000 in forfeited crypto

DOJ charges inmate Rossen Iossifov over $290,000 in forfeited crypto The U.S. Department of Justice charged Bulgarian national Rossen G. Iossifov, 53, with allegedly moving about $290,000 in cryptocurrency that had been forfeited to the government after his 2021 fraud conviction. Prosecutors say that in January 2024, while serving a 111-month sentence, he routed the assets through multiple exchanges and mixing services to prevent seizure; he now faces charges of removal of property to prevent seizure and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

15:40 Court

Armenian Man Pleads Guilty in Ryuk Ransomware Case Linked to $15M in Bitcoin

Armenian national pleads guilty in Ryuk ransomware case tied to $15M in BTC Karen Serobovich Vardanyan, 34, pleaded guilty on July 8 to conspiracy and computer fraud after U.S. prosecutors said a Ryuk ransomware operation he joined collected about 1,610 BTC, worth more than $15 million at the time, from U.S. victims between November 2019 and April 2020. Prosecutors said the attacks hit hundreds of servers and computers and forced victims to buy decryption keys; sentencing is set for Sept. 22, 2026.

13:31 Court

Wisconsin Prosecutors Accuse Circle of Ignoring Warrant in Scam Victim Recovery Case

Wisconsin prosecutors file complaint against Circle over scam victim funds Milwaukee County prosecutors in Wisconsin have filed a criminal complaint against Circle, alleging the USDC issuer refused to comply with a warrant to recover a scam victim’s stolen assets, ICIJ reported. Detective Scott Simons said he has seen more than a dozen similar cases nationwide, while New York prosecutors also told Congress that Circle failed to honor court orders seeking reimbursement. Circle has asked for the complaint to be dismissed as meritless.

11:42 Court

New York Man Gets 15 Months for Telegram Crypto Influencer Impersonation Scam

Queens man gets 15 months for Telegram crypto impersonation scam Noman Saleem, 39, of Queens and Levittown, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for posing as crypto influencers on Telegram and steering victims into a fake staking scheme. Prosecutors said he copied influencers’ handles, ran a paid VIP channel charging about $500-$600 in crypto, and took in at least $1.4 million before cutting off victims.