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EU Sanctions "Most Prolific Ransomware Operator" Stern, Linked to Over $300 Million in Ransom Payments
the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom have jointly announced sanctions against a group of individuals involved in state-sponsored hacking organizations, cybercriminal groups, and their infrastructure providers. The targets are accused of causing billions of dollars in losses to global enterprises, critical infrastructure, and government agencies. Among them, the most notable is the EU's sanction against Russian cybercriminal Vitaly Nikolayevich Kovalev, also known as "Stern." The EU identified Stern as one of the core managers of the notorious Trickbot Group ransomware syndicate, which is behind high-risk ransomware variants such as Conti ransomware and Ryuk.On-chain analysis shows that wallet addresses linked to Stern have collectively received over $300 million in ransom payments, potentially making him the most prolific ransomware operator ever identified.According to the analysis, the $300 million figure represents only Stern's personal gains, while the total illicit income of the Trickbot Group could be significantly higher. On-chain fund flows indicate that Stern had transactional ties with multiple ransomware ecosystems, including Ryuk, Conti, Diavol, Karakurt, Royal, and Quantum.The investigation reveals that Stern played a role similar to a "CEO" within the Trickbot organization, responsible for budget management, personnel recruitment, infrastructure procurement, and attack planning. (Chainalysis)
French AMF Revokes Vancelian's PSAN Operator Registration Status
The French Financial Markets Authority (AMF) announced that, effective from June 30, 2026, it will revoke the Digital Asset Service Provider (PSAN) registration of AUTOMATA France SAS (operating Vancelian.com). The regulator noted that the company engaged in crowdfunding activities without obtaining the necessary authorization, reflecting that its management and significant shareholders failed to meet integrity and competence requirements.
Missouri Sues Bitcoin ATM Operator CoinFlip for $1.83 Million
According to Decrypt, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has filed a lawsuit against Bitcoin ATM operator CoinFlip, accusing it of “knowingly facilitating fraudulent transactions” and seeking a $1.83 million fine as well as a ban on its operations in the state. CoinFlip responded that the lawsuit is “baseless” and urged authorities to instead investigate the actual criminals. Against this backdrop, U.S. states are intensifying regulatory crackdowns on Bitcoin ATMs—particularly targeting scams targeting elderly individuals. FBI data shows that related losses reached $389 million in 2025.
Missouri Sues Cryptocurrency ATM Operator CoinFlip, Alleging It Aided Fraud and Profited from It
According to Cointelegraph, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has filed a lawsuit against GPD Holdings—the parent company of cryptocurrency ATM operator CoinFlip—accusing it of “intentionally facilitating fraudulent transactions and profiting from them,” with victims including elderly residents and veterans in the state. The lawsuit stems from a targeted investigation launched by Missouri in December 2025 into multiple crypto ATM companies, which alleged “deceptive fee structures” and fraudulent conduct. The Attorney General’s Office is asking the court to rule that CoinFlip violated the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act, prohibit it from continuing operations in the state, impose a $1,000 fine for each violation over the past five years (capped at $1.826 million), and provide restitution to affected consumers. CoinFlip currently operates 136 crypto ATMs in Missouri and 4,229 nationwide. Notably, Bitcoin Depot—another major crypto ATM operator—filed for bankruptcy earlier this month, and regulatory pressure is intensifying across the entire industry.
South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service Initiates Sanction Procedures Against Upbit Operator Dunamu
According to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean Financial Supervisory Service has sent an inspection opinion letter to Upbit's operating company, officially initiating the sanction procedure. Subsequently, the sanction content will be finally determined after going through procedures such as company explanation, the Sanction Deliberation Committee, the Securities and Futures Commission, and the Financial Services Commission. Yonhap News Agency stated that since the current "Virtual Asset User Protection Act" mainly targets user protection and unfair trading, it lacks direct and clear sanction provisions for hacking/system accidents, resulting in uncertainty regarding the severity of the sanctions.
EU Sanctions "Most Prolific Ransomware Operator" Stern, Linked to Over $300 Million in Ransom Payments
the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom have jointly announced sanctions against a group of individuals involved in state-sponsored hacking organizations, cybercriminal groups, and their infrastructure providers. The targets are accused of causing billions of dollars in losses to global enterprises, critical infrastructure, and government agencies. Among them, the most notable is the EU's sanction against Russian cybercriminal Vitaly Nikolayevich Kovalev, also known as "Stern." The EU identified Stern as one of the core managers of the notorious Trickbot Group ransomware syndicate, which is behind high-risk ransomware variants such as Conti ransomware and Ryuk.On-chain analysis shows that wallet addresses linked to Stern have collectively received over $300 million in ransom payments, potentially making him the most prolific ransomware operator ever identified.According to the analysis, the $300 million figure represents only Stern's personal gains, while the total illicit income of the Trickbot Group could be significantly higher. On-chain fund flows indicate that Stern had transactional ties with multiple ransomware ecosystems, including Ryuk, Conti, Diavol, Karakurt, Royal, and Quantum.The investigation reveals that Stern played a role similar to a "CEO" within the Trickbot organization, responsible for budget management, personnel recruitment, infrastructure procurement, and attack planning. (Chainalysis)
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White House Teleprompter Operator Leaves Federal Government Amid Allegations of Over $100,000 in Kalshi Bets
White House teleprompter operator Gabriel Perez is no longer employed by the U.S. federal government. A White House official stated on Tuesday that Perez was placed on unpaid leave earlier this month but declined to specify whether he resigned or was fired. Perez is accused of using non-public information to profit over $100,000 by placing bets on the Kalshi prediction market related to speeches by U.S. President Donald Trump. Kalshi's monitoring team detected suspicious trading activity and reported the matter to the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Kalshi's platform prohibits users from trading based on information obtained through their employment.
South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service Initiates Sanction Procedures Against Upbit Operator Dunamu
According to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean Financial Supervisory Service has sent an inspection opinion letter to Upbit's operating company, officially initiating the sanction procedure. Subsequently, the sanction content will be finally determined after going through procedures such as company explanation, the Sanction Deliberation Committee, the Securities and Futures Commission, and the Financial Services Commission. Yonhap News Agency stated that since the current "Virtual Asset User Protection Act" mainly targets user protection and unfair trading, it lacks direct and clear sanction provisions for hacking/system accidents, resulting in uncertainty regarding the severity of the sanctions.
EU Sanctions "Most Prolific Ransomware Operator" Stern, Linked to Over $300 Million in Ransom Payments
the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom have jointly announced sanctions against a group of individuals involved in state-sponsored hacking organizations, cybercriminal groups, and their infrastructure providers. The targets are accused of causing billions of dollars in losses to global enterprises, critical infrastructure, and government agencies. Among them, the most notable is the EU's sanction against Russian cybercriminal Vitaly Nikolayevich Kovalev, also known as "Stern." The EU identified Stern as one of the core managers of the notorious Trickbot Group ransomware syndicate, which is behind high-risk ransomware variants such as Conti ransomware and Ryuk.On-chain analysis shows that wallet addresses linked to Stern have collectively received over $300 million in ransom payments, potentially making him the most prolific ransomware operator ever identified.According to the analysis, the $300 million figure represents only Stern's personal gains, while the total illicit income of the Trickbot Group could be significantly higher. On-chain fund flows indicate that Stern had transactional ties with multiple ransomware ecosystems, including Ryuk, Conti, Diavol, Karakurt, Royal, and Quantum.The investigation reveals that Stern played a role similar to a "CEO" within the Trickbot organization, responsible for budget management, personnel recruitment, infrastructure procurement, and attack planning. (Chainalysis)
French AMF Revokes Vancelian's PSAN Operator Registration Status
The French Financial Markets Authority (AMF) announced that, effective from June 30, 2026, it will revoke the Digital Asset Service Provider (PSAN) registration of AUTOMATA France SAS (operating Vancelian.com). The regulator noted that the company engaged in crowdfunding activities without obtaining the necessary authorization, reflecting that its management and significant shareholders failed to meet integrity and competence requirements.
He Yi: CoinUp Operator Zhu Pan Previously Impersonated Others to Scam Her, and Also Impersonated Her to Scam Justin Sun
Odaily, February 19 – Binance co-founder He Yi posted on social media, stating that CoinUp operator Zhu Pan had previously impersonated someone else in an attempt to defraud her, but failed.He Yi also revealed that Zhu Pan had even impersonated her to defraud TRON founder Justin Sun.
KDAC Selected as Custodian Operator for Seized Virtual Assets by Korea’s National Tax Service; Pilot to Launch in June
According to Edaily, Korea’s digital asset custodian KDAC has been selected by the National Tax Service of Korea as the entrusted custodian and operational manager for seized virtual assets, and has signed the relevant entrustment contract. The service is set to commence in June. This marks the first time the Korean government has entrusted virtual assets held by the government to a private-sector professional custodian company.