ED Seizes ₹1,646 Crore in Crypto from Ahmedabad Man Tied to BitConnect Scam

Summary: Indian officials have confiscated ₹1,646 crore ($197 million) of cryptocurrency from an Ahmedabad resident connected to the BitConnect Ponzi scheme. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) also seized cash, a luxury sports utility vehicle, and digital devices as part of its ongoing investigation.

India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted one of its biggest crypto seizures, freezing ₹1,646 crore ($197 million) in digital assets in relation to the BitConnect scam. Besides crypto, authorities also froze ₹13.50 lakh in cash, an SUV, and various digital devices in their raid in Ahmedabad.

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BitConnect, a well-known international Ponzi scheme established by Satish Kumbhani, attracted investors with a guarantee of 40% returns every month through a so-called “volatility software trading bot.” Investors sent in Bitcoin (BTC), which was exchanged for BitConnect’s own token BCC. The Ponzi scheme also used multi-level marketing (MLM) strategies, in which users were compensated for recruiting new investors.

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After operating between 2016 and 2018, BitConnect fell apart after regulators stepped in, causing investors across the globe to lose billions. The ED has been probing the case since 2018, earlier seizing ₹489 crore worth of assets. Officials have also confirmed foreign involvement, and Kumbhani is still under US federal investigation.

Solana Slips Under $170 as Memecoin Scams Shake Investor Confidence

Solana’s price dips below $170 due to dropping network activity, memecoin scams, and FTX token unlock—trust issues growing.



Yo, Solana’s price is plummeting, falling below $170, and everyone’s talking about it. The coin is down 9% today, at $167.57, and it’s not looking good. So, what’s happening?

Overall, network activity is declining. Not as many users are utilizing Solana for applications such as trading and DeFi initiatives, and when the network’s idle, the price goes down. Crypto analysts also pointed out that major holders are cashing out coins, with accounts holding more than 100 SOL decreasing by 2.24% in the recent past.

On top of that, Solana’s DEX volume is tanking by 24%, while Binance Smart Chain is thriving, with its DEX volume up nearly 50%.

But the real kicker? Memecoin scams. Solana’s had some sketchy memecoins recently, like the LIBRA token that crashed by 94%, leaving traders with huge losses. It turns out, the same wallets behind LIBRA were involved in the Melania Trump memecoin scam. Yeah, not a good look.

Investors are losing faith, and with $2.06 billion in SOL about to be unlocked from the FTX bankruptcy, things could get even worse. Solana’s in a tough spot right now, with FUD hitting hard.

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Hackers Impersonate Saudi Crown Prince, Launch Fake $KSA Memecoin

Summary: Scammers hacked an account pretending to be Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, using it to promote a fake memecoin, $KSA, and another token, $FLCN. The tweets vanished quickly, and officials confirmed the hack.

In another wild crypto scam, hackers took control of an account impersonating Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and used it to launch a fake Saudi Arabia Memecoin ($KSA). The tweet went out at 15:00 UTC, luring in unsuspecting investors.

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But that wasn’t enough for the scammers. Shortly after, they promoted another token, FALCON ($FLCN), directing users to a suspicious website, FLCN.meme. The posts stirred up some hype before vanishing into thin air.

Now, the hacked account has been drained, and police confirmed that it had indeed been hacked. It was the classic crypto scam playbook: impersonate a prominent person, generate buzz, present fake coins, and disappear before the victims can figure out what happened.

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These scams are becoming more common, preying on hype and FOMO. When you see an “official” memecoin announcement out of nowhere, pause—because more often than not, it’s another rug pull in the making.

Argentina’s $LIBRA Crypto Controversy: The Winners and Losers Revealed

Argentina’s president backed $LIBRA crypto, but after a huge pump and “rug pull,” many investors lost millions.



Argentina President Javier Milei created quite the storm when he posted his support for a new crypto token, $LIBRA. But things went horribly wrong when the token’s price pumped hundreds of percent in a few hours. Milei then deleted his tweet and disassociated himself with the project, stating that he was unaware of the project details when he first posted.

Meanwhile, the devs of $LIBRA made bank, reportedly earning over $107 million from its liquidity pool. Blockchain records show that 8 wallets belonging to the LIBRA project earned the most, making enormous sums by adding and removing liquidity. The funds involved millions of USDC and SOL.

But there was bad news too. All but a few of the investors were destroyed, and some lost millions. A crypto trader claimed that one person lost over $5 million by investing in LIBRA. This is referred to by some as the largest “rug pull” in cryptocurrency history, and over $4.4 billion was drained from the market.

And now the token has fallen again below $0.30, with retail investors suffering huge losses. Milei has flatly denied any involvement in the project, denouncing politicians attempting to capitalize on the scandal.

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Kanye West Shuts Down $2M Crypto Scam Offer: ‘Not Scamming My Fam

Kanye West, aka Ye, just dropped some major tea on X—turning down a $2M offer to shill a shady crypto scheme. Like, who does that? King move, honestly. He spilled the deets in a Feb. 7 post, exposing how scammers wanted him to post fake crypto promo to his 32.6M followers, then pull the classic “my account got hacked” card. Sketchy, right? But Ye said, “Nah, not scamming my fam,” and dipped.

The deal? $750K upfront to keep the post live for 8 hours, then another $1.25M after 16 hours. Big yikes. Ye clapped back with, “I was proposed 2 million dollars to scam my community. Those left of it. I said no and stopped working with their person who proposed it.” Periodt.

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Later, he slid into crypto DMs, asking for a trusted contact, and someone name-dropped Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong. Could Ye be cooking up his own crypto project? Or is this just hype for a new album? Either way, the internet’s buzzing.

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Fun fact: Ye’s had beef with crypto before (remember Coinye in 2014?), but now he’s vibing with it on his own terms. Could merch in crypto be next? Stay tuned, fam.

Canadian Hacker on the Run After $65M Crypto Heist

Summary: A Canadian-Andean, Medjedovic, has been accused of stealing cryptocurrency from two platforms, worth $65 million, and laundering that amount. On the run for 4 years now, he has still kept his hand in the crypto space, including trying to manipulate projects for his benefit.

Medjedovic, a former University of Waterloo master’s student, was accused of hacking Indexed Finance and KyberSwap, draining $49 million from the former and $16 million from the latter. Using his advanced math skills, he allegedly exploited smart contract vulnerabilities to manipulate token prices and make massive profits at the expense of investors. Even after being charged, he reportedly tried to negotiate control of KyberSwap in exchange for returning some stolen funds.

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A lawsuit filed in Canada and an Interpol warrant out for alleged financial crimes did not deter Medjedovic, who continued to be involved with crypto. His web presence indicated he considers himself some sort of “pirate” operating in the legal gray areas. The U.S. has taken over the prosecution, with the case led by the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, NCET. According to Acting U.S. Attorney John Durham, criminals leveraging new technology to steal from investors will be brought to book, no matter where they have been hiding.

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Has the Hawk Tuah Girl Been Arrested for Her Memecoin? Here’s the Truth

Hawk Tuah Girl’s $HAWK memecoin crashed 90%, sparking rumors of fraud and arrest, but fact-checks prove it’s false.



The Hawk Tuah Girl, also known as Haliey Welch, was an internet sensation this year, who blew up because of her viral “Hawk Tuah” sound. And just as quickly, it went sideways. It went to market like a bombshell and instantly hit a wild $490-million valuation. In what felt like a dream quickly turned nightmare, the price crashed 90% in 20 minutes, leaving investors in the dust.

Crypto fans weren’t happy, and rumors started swirling that Haliey was arrested for money laundering and securities fraud after the crash. Some wild claims even said she was facing charges for espionage related to the memecoin mess.

However, fact-checkers quickly shut down these rumors. A community note on X confirmed that the arrest claims were bogus, made by people trying to get more engagement for their own projects. The Crypto Times also clarified that Haliey’s still dealing with litigation from upset investors, but there’s no arrest news.

Even though things look bad, another X post suggests the Hawk Tuah Girl’s planning a comeback with a new coin called “Shaquille Oatmeal”, but she’s yet to make an official statement. Stay tuned!

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Crypto Tax Crackdown: India Slaps 70% Penalty on Unreported Gains

Overview: The Indian government has begun clamping down on crypto traders by imposing an unbelievable 70% tax penalty for unreported crypto gains. Under the new stringent rule, which is included under Section 158B of the Income Tax Act, comes the 2025 Union Budget aimed at tightening reins over the explosively growing crypto market.Investors who have failed to disclose their gains might well face severe fines, as the government looks back four years for undeclared gains. Crypto, for example, is now classified as a Virtual Digital Asset, or VDA, thereby making it akin to cash, gold, and jewelry for tax purposes in India.

Crypto exchanges and financial platforms are required to report transactions, making it tough to fly under the radar. Last year, the government unearthed $97 million in unpaid Goods and Services Tax from crypto exchanges, putting all major scrutiny on platforms like Binance and Bybit-forcing Bybit to shut down operations in India altogether. It’s not alone in this.

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The U.S. IRS, too, is raising its crypto tax game, imposing more stringent reporting requirements starting in 2025. Some crypto groups even sue the IRS on grounds of unconstitutionality of the new regulations. As governments around the world increase their stranglehold on digital assets, crypto traders will have to keep their wits about them-and be compliant-unless they want to pay the price.

Spotting the Scam: Fake Celebrity Memecoins on the Rise

Trump’s $TRUMP and $MELANIA memecoins sparked hype, but scammers faked celeb coins, duping investors in the volatile crypto game.



47th U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump sent shockwaves in the crypto world with their memecoins, $TRUMP and $MELANIA, respectively. Coming right before Trump’s inaugural ceremony, $TRUMP went berserk on Solana, reaching a market capitalization of $12 billion in 24 hours. Melania followed suit with her own token, but the hype didn’t stop there-it turned into a playground for scammers.

Then, scam coins like $IVANKA and $BARRON began to pop up targeting Trump’s family. Ivanka had to jump onto X, formerly Twitter, to deny involvement with the $IVANKA coin. Barron’s fake token reached a value of 460M and then crashed by 95% to leave investors burnt. These scammers even hijacked poor Dean Norris-the actor that plays Hank in Breaking Bad-with some fake posts endorsing a $DEAN coin. Later, Norris went full Schrader-mode, calling out critics and confirming it was all fake.

Of course, no scam list is complete without Elon Musk. Fake memecoins using his name are everywhere, and Musk’s silence isn’t helping.

Memecoins are pure hype with no real value, but people can’t resist the gamble. Bottom line? Do your research or risk getting wrecked in the wild west of crypto.

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India’s ED Investigates Paytm, RazorPay, and PayU in $25M Crypto Scam

Overview: A probe into the $25.5 million crypto scam by the Indian Enforcement Directorate puts big payment players like Paytm, RazorPay, and PayU in the limelight. The investigation, having frozen upwards of more than $5.81M thus far, has reportedly exposed large loopholes in how suspicious transactions were treated.

The HPZ Token scam has India’s financial regulators on red alert. This crypto mining scheme duped people in 20 states, raking in millions before transferring the loot overseas. Now, the ED is investigating eight payment gateways, including big names like Paytm, RazorPay, and PayU, for their part in processing such fraudulent transactions.

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The crackdown unveiled frozen funds across the platforms: PayU leads the chart at $1.51M, Easebuzz follows with $387K, and RazorPay stands at $208K. The reports quote these companies to have helped in facilitating the bulk transactions without flagging suspicion. The ED is grilling the companies as to whether or not they filed the Suspicious Transaction Reports with the RBI or the Financial Intelligence Unit.

This scam operated through more than 50 companies in Delhi and Karnataka, with operations spilling over into Maharashtra and Gujarat. ED is now tracing the cash trail, closing in on crypto fraud.

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This bust is a wake-up call to everybody riding the crypto wave in India. Always DYOR, folks.

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