Over the past decade, the US Secret Service’s Global Investigative Operations Center (GIOC) has quietly recovered nearly $400 million in digital assets from cybercriminals, emerging as a formidable force in global crypto enforcement. What begins as a casual online chat can end in financial devastation . In one case, a victim was lured by a friendly stranger and guided to a legitimate cryptocurrency investment platform with charts, a sleek interface, and responsive customer support. Initial deposits showed modest gains. Encouraged, the victim sent more money, even borrowing to keep up. Then, the platform went dark, and the account balance vanished. “That’s how they do it,” said Jamie Lam, an investigative analyst with the US Secret Service, speaking last month to law enforcement officials in Bermuda. “They’ll send you a photo of a really good-looking guy or girl. But it’s probably some old guy in Russia.” The case was just one of many dissected during a week-long workshop led by the Secret Service’s Global Investigative Operations Center (GIOC) — a little-known unit specializing in tracing digital financial crimes across borders. Using open-source tools, GIOC investigators traced the scam back to a domain, a crypto wallet, and, thanks to a brief VPN glitch, an exposed IP address. The GIOC has quietly become one of the most powerful players in crypto enforcement. Over the past decade, the team has seized nearly $400 million in digital assets, according to people familiar with internal agency briefings. Much of it is held in a cold-storage wallet, ranking among the largest known government-controlled digital asset holdings. Kali Smith leads global push to expose crypto crime and train nations on digital threats Kali Smith, the Secret Service’s head of cryptocurrency strategy, is central to this effort. Under her leadership, the agency has trained law enforcement and prosecutors in over 60 countries, targeting jurisdictions vulnerable to exploitation through weak regulation or residency-for-sale schemes. “Sometimes after just a week-long training, they can be like, ‘Wow, we didn’t even realize that this is occurring in our country,’” Smith said during the Bermuda training session. Bermuda, known for its advanced crypto regulations, hosted the recent workshop amid growing concern that its digital asset-friendly policies could also attract bad actors. Bermuda Governor Andrew Murdoch told reporters that technologies and financial services are fantastic for economic growth but can also be exploited. He notes that, alongside the benefits, you need strong investigative powers to deal with abuse under the law. In a session overlooking Hamilton Harbor, Smith warned that scam victims often falsely assume Bitcoin guarantees safety. “They think they can use Bitcoin and be safe. But that isn’t the case,” she said. One real-life case involved an Idaho teenager who was extorted into paying hundreds of dollars after sending an intimate photo online. The investigation revealed a network of transactions funneled through another American teen, ultimately leading to a crypto wallet that had processed nearly $4.1 million through 6,000 transactions. The wallet was linked to a Nigerian passport, and the suspect was arrested in England, awaiting extradition. Crypto scams drive record losses as fraud turns violent and global manhunts intensify Digital asset fraud is now the top cause of cybercrime losses in the US. Americans lost $9.3 billion to scam schemes related to crypto in 2024. Heists and fraud losses — more than half the FBI’s $16.6 billion total for the year. The elderly victims were hit the hardest, with losses approaching $2.8 billion, much of that to fraudulent investment sites. In more extreme cases, digital theft has escalated to real-world violence. In New York, two men were charged with kidnapping and torturing a longtime friend to access his crypto wallet. In Connecticut, six individuals were accused of abducting and beating the parents of a teenage hacker who had stolen $245 million in Bitcoin in a failed ransom attempt. The Secret Service often works with large cryptocurrency firms to track stolen money. Companies such as Coinbase and Tether have been invaluable in investigating by conducting wallet analysis and freezing accounts suspected of fraudulent activity. One of the largest hauls was $225 million USDT, linked to a sweeping romance-investment scam. The agency’s focus on tracking dirty money is part of a broader, decades-old mission that has now been extended to the digital world, and in which the New York field office, which also covers Bermuda, has taken on a leading role in global cryptocurrency enforcement and training efforts. Cryptopolitan Academy: Coming Soon - A New Way to Earn Passive Income with DeFi in 2025. Learn More
Robert Kiyosaki is ramping up his bitcoin holdings, calling it priceless at $107K and predicting a $1 million surge as fiat currencies face mounting collapse. Bullish Bet: Robert Kiyosaki Buys More Bitcoin, Predicts $1M Price Tag Robert Kiyosaki, author of the best-selling book Rich Dad Poor Dad, has weighed in again on bitcoin, reaffirming his
An individual Bitcoin miner achieved an improbable $349,000 reward. This rare success challenges the dominance of large mining organizations. Continue Reading: Solitary Bitcoin Miner Triumphs with $349,000 Windfall The post Solitary Bitcoin Miner Triumphs with $349,000 Windfall appeared first on COINTURK NEWS .
An unprecedented movement of 40,000 BTC by a dormant whale from the early Bitcoin era has sent ripples through the crypto market, raising questions about potential volatility and market dynamics.
Market is ready for potential reversal, but lack of volume setting it back
A Cleveland bank teller has reportedly been accused of forging names and other documents to drain tens of thousands of dollars out of customers’ bank accounts. According to a new report by a local news outlet, federal prosecutors say that Denice James, a teller at First Federal Savings of Lorain, allegedly stole approximately $75,000 from eight different victims by faking documents and embezzled $1,000 from the bank itself. The report says that James stole the money between July 25, 2023, and November 2, 2023, by forging customers’ names on bank slips and submitting them right before the bank closed, as no customers were inside. She would then process the withdrawals and take the cash for herself. She has been charged with eight counts of bank fraud, eight counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of embezzlement, to which she has pleaded not guilty. This incident is the latest in a string of fraud schemes involving bank tellers. In May, a bank teller in Maryland pleaded guilty to stealing $255,000 from his employer’s elderly clients by having conspirators impersonate victims to make fraudulent bank withdrawals. In March, a bank teller from New York, whose job it was to tally up money at the end of the day, was accused of stealing $1,000,000 in cash from his bank’s vault by forging signatures. Follow us on X , Facebook and Telegram Don't Miss a Beat – Subscribe to get email alerts delivered directly to your inbox Check Price Action Surf The Daily Hodl Mix Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any cryptocurrencies or digital assets, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing. Generated Image: Midjourney The post Bank Insider Reportedly Forges Names and Fills Out Fake Withdrawal Slips, Drains $75,000 From Accounts of Eight Customers appeared first on The Daily Hodl .
A crypto analyst stated that Bitcoin is pressing against key resistance near its all-time high , signaling that a breakout into price discovery territory could be just around the corner. A weekly close above the level could trigger a fresh wave of upside, pushing BTC into uncharted ground where new highs are inevitable. Bitcoin Is One Candle Away From Price Discovery In an X post on July 4, CrypFlow stated that Bitcoin is showing impressive resilience and technical precision on the chart. After finding footing at the S1 support, BTC delivered a sharp bounce and successfully reclaimed the R/S flip zone around $104,400, a level that has now become a battleground for momentum. However, BTC ran into stiff resistance at around $109,000 level, which happens to mark the previous highest weekly close. The rejection was a clean technical retest of the $104,400 R/S flip zone, which is now new support, a textbook bullish sign. BTC is now pressing against its final resistance. If bulls can push through the $109,000 level with volume, it would clear the path for true price discovery, where historical resistance no longer exists and the upside becomes wide open. Another analyst, Trade4ddict, also shared that Bitcoin is shaping up for another bullish opportunity, with the 1-hour chart printing a long setup. After dipping into the $108,500 liquidity zone, BTC quickly reversed, trapping late shorts and confirming a morning star pattern, and a bullish reversal signal. This shift in structure suggests that bulls are reasserting control, with support reclaimed and momentum turning upward. Trade4ddict expects BTC to revisit the local top at $110,500 and possibly break above it. If BTC breaks out successfully, it could open the door for a continued move toward a new all-time high region at $112,000. The structure is clean, momentum is resetting, and the market looks primed for a renewed push higher. Will The Inverted Head-And-Shoulders Fuel The Breakout? Abdul Basit Flow 3 Solix also took to X on July 4th to highlight that Bitcoin is showing signs of an explosive move as it retests a key local level on the 4-hour chart. After previously breaking through the $108,600 mirror level, BTC is now revisiting that zone from above, a retest that could confirm new support. The mirror level, which has acted as resistance, is being tested for strength, and the price is holding above it, suggesting bulls are defending this level with conviction. A bullish compression structure shaped as an inverted head-and-shoulders pattern is the formation that makes the retest more compelling. This formation often precedes a strong breakout, when backed by higher lows and tightening price action.
The possibility of Bitcoin reaching a $1 million valuation has gained considerable attention from industry leaders and financial analysts. As institutional adoption accelerates, this projection appears increasingly plausible, prompting discussions about the potential effects on other major cryptocurrencies, particularly XRP. Growing Momentum Behind a $1 Million Bitcoin The current market landscape reflects growing optimism about Bitcoin’s long-term price trajectory. After surpassing the $100,000 milestone, the asset has seen a surge in institutional involvement. Numerous corporations, inspired by Strategy, have integrated Bitcoin into their treasury holdings. Reports suggest that more than 200 companies now include BTC in their balance sheets. Additionally, the U.S. government is said to be exploring the possibility of creating a national Bitcoin reserve of up to one million BTC. This shift in sentiment has led several public figures to support the $1 million projection, including Michael Saylor, Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao, Jack Dorsey , Samson Mow, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson, and Eric Trump. Estimating XRP’s Price in a $1 Million Bitcoin Scenario To estimate XRP’s potential value in a market where Bitcoin reaches $1 million, it is necessary to consider current market share distributions. At the moment, Bitcoin accounts for approximately 65.7% of the global cryptocurrency market, which currently has a total capitalization of about $3.28 trillion. In comparison, XRP holds a market share of approximately 3.9%. If Bitcoin reaches the $1 million mark while maintaining its market dominance, the total market capitalization of the crypto sector would likely expand to roughly $30.3 trillion. Should XRP maintain its existing market share in this scenario, it would have a market capitalization of around $1.19 trillion. Based on its circulating supply, this would result in a per-token valuation of approximately $20.15, a significant increase from its current price of $2.21, representing a growth of around 830%. We are on twitter, follow us to connect with us :- @TimesTabloid1 — TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) July 15, 2023 Can XRP Surpass This Estimate Before Bitcoin Hits $1 Million? While the above projection assumes XRP maintains its current market share, several analysts argue that XRP could appreciate further even before Bitcoin achieves the $1 million target. For instance, Davinci Jeremie, a long-standing Bitcoin supporter, recently predicted that XRP could reach $24 by the end of 2025. Other projections, such as those from Telegaon , foresee XRP reaching $87 by 2035. In the same forecast, Telegaon also anticipates Bitcoin reaching $1.2 million by that year. These forecasts suggest that XRP’s market share could increase over time, especially if investor interest broadens beyond Bitcoin. Historical data supports this possibility. Over the past year, XRP has recorded a price increase of approximately 350%, compared to Bitcoin’s 75% rise. This suggests a higher growth rate for XRP, which could significantly alter its valuation trajectory. If Bitcoin reaches the projected $1 million price point and XRP retains its current market share, a valuation near $20 for XRP appears feasible. However, this outcome depends on multiple variables, including market sentiment, institutional support, and regulatory developments. With some analysts expecting XRP to gain market share even before Bitcoin reaches this milestone, the actual price of XRP in a future crypto market could exceed these early estimates. Disclaimer : This content is meant to inform and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not represent Times Tabloid’s opinion. Readers are urged to do in-depth research before making any investment decisions. Any action taken by the reader is strictly at their own risk. Times Tabloid is not responsible for any financial losses. Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Telegram , and Google News The post Here’s How High XRP Could Rise If Bitcoin Hits $1M appeared first on Times Tabloid .
Bitcoin could retrace to $90,000 short term, but Arthur Hayes sees surging fiscal liquidity fueling an unstoppable rally toward a $1 million long-term price target. Arthur Hayes Sees Bitcoin Climbing to $1M as Fiscal Forces Reflate Markets Macro investor Arthur Hayes, co-founder of cryptocurrency exchange Bitmex who now leads investment fund Maelstrom, stated on July
Canadian rapper Drake’s latest track “What Did I Miss?” prominently features Bitcoin, marking a significant moment where cryptocurrency intersects with mainstream music culture. This lyrical nod to Bitcoin underscores the