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China has turn into a hotbed of illicit crypto commerce these days. The nation has earned fairly a fame within the worldwide group in terms of scams and unlawful actions involving cryptocurrencies.

For the previous months and years, there have been a lot of notable illicit actions originating from the nation or involving Chinese nationals that had been uncovered.

For instance, in July 2021, greater than 200 victims from at the very least 20 nations misplaced $70 million to fraudsters that posed as engaging Chinese ladies who satisfied them to put money into crypto.

In January this yr, a report was launched by Chainalysis divulging Chinese crypto traders who misplaced $2.8 billion  from infamous rug pulls. There had been eight people arrested concerned within the fraud.

Last July, unidentified Chinese nationals had been arrested after offering assist to a pretend mortgage app racket in India that additionally concerned digital currencies.

But maybe taking the cake on this dialog is the current dismantling of the Chinese police of a four-year felony gang exercise that was accountable in laundering $5.6 billion.

The Large-Scale ‘9.15’ Money Laundering Gang

Led by a sure Hong Mou, the “9.15” gang is alleged to be accountable for greater than 300 incidents of tele-trafficking involving varied assortment and cost websites all through China.

The group, in operation since 2018, additionally facilitated the cashing of illicit funds from fraud, playing and crypto into U.S. greenback to get rid of traces of illegality.

Using cryptocurrency, Mou’s group was in a position to launder 40 billion yuan which converts into roughly $5.6 billion, Chinese authorities say.

Following the operation of Chinese authorities, 93 suspects had been arrested and greater than 100 computer systems and cell phones utilized by gang members had been destroyed.

Funds amounting to 300 million yuan had been additionally frozen in step with the case. The profitable takedown of the gang additionally resulted within the restoration of seven.8 million yuan from financial losses of assorted victims.

Cryptocurrency: The Dark Side

While this may be thought-about as a win for authorities, it undoubtedly places the asset class in a adverse mild as soon as once more.

Over the previous years, nations just like the U.S. and Europe have taken inflexible measures to manage the emergence of crypto instead technique of financing for his or her residents.

One of their compelling arguments is that cryptocurrencies can be utilized for illicit actions and these sorts of property are laborious to hint, at the very least in some methods, making them a pretty device for cash laundering and different associated crimes.

Meanwhile, a felony case for the arrested suspects and Mou are already being processed by Chinese authorities.

BTCUSD pair reclaims the $19K degree, buying and selling at $19,434 on the every day chart | Source: TradingView.com

Featured picture from The Verge, Chart: TradingView.com