Crypto crime this week: Sep 21–27, 2026

110 stories this week · most active: Hacks & Exploits (31), Scams & Consumer Fraud (25), Policy, Regulation & Compliance (17) · 1 official releases

Official actions

Extradited Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering in Connection with Sextortion and Romance ScamsDOJ Justice News · Sep 22Official release

Hacks & Exploits 31 stories

KelpDAO Developer Sues LayerZero Over $292M Bridge ExploitDecrypt · Sep 25
Magic Eden legacy approvals leave $5.7 million in NFTs exposed to exploit before rescueThe Block · Sep 25
Magic Eden Warns Old Ethereum NFT Listings Are Exposed to Payment Processor ExploitDecrypt · Sep 25
Explained: The Nostra Finance Hack (September 2026)Halborn Blog · Sep 23

Scams & Consumer Fraud 25 stories

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 12 Years for $16M Coinbase Phishing ScamBitcoin Magazine · Sep 24
VRA faces scrutiny in French crypto fraud investigationcrypto.news · Sep 27
San Diego proposes placing warning signs at crypto ATMsATM Marketplace · Sep 24
Jason Calacanis calls meme coins a ‘giant scam’Crypto News · Sep 27

Revoke, document, report, freeze, trace: the emergency playbook for the hours right after a drain.

If this happened to youCan a Scammer’s Crypto Be Frozen? How Freezes Really Work

Who can freeze stolen crypto (exchanges, Tether, Circle), what they need, and how to give a freeze the best chance.

If this happened to youHow to Report Crypto Theft to the FBI: A Complete IC3 Walkthrough

What IC3 is, what to include in your report, and what actually happens after you submit.

Policy, Regulation & Compliance 17 stories

SEC clears regulatory hurdle as crypto token buybacks hit record $638 millionCryptoSlate · Sep 26
How Crypto Stopped Waiting for Congress and Learned to Love the RegulatorsDecrypt · Sep 26
Blockchain Association sees leadership shift shortly after crypto Clarity Act fizzlesCoinDesk · Sep 25
SEC’s Hester Peirce wants to end crypto’s KYC honeypots before stablecoin rules create more of themCryptoSlate · Sep 25

Law Enforcement Actions 8 stories

Human Trafficking Raid Exposes Suspected Cyber Scam Operation in Papua New GuineaOCCRP Investigations · Sep 23
Kosovar Owner of Rydox Marketplace Pleads Guilty in US CourtSecurityWeek · Sep 25
Toshiba joins 25 firms in Japan’s six month EJPY stablecoin trialcrypto.news · Sep 25
US seizes bank accounts of payments group linked to TetherFT Crypto · Sep 25

Money Laundering 7 stories

KuCoin Will Temporarily Close the Deposit and Withdrawal Services of Monero (XMR)KuCoin Announcements API · Sep 23
THORChain under fire over Bitget, ETH evolves beyond blockchain: Hodler’s DigestCointelegraph · Sep 27
Ethereum moves closer to faster finality with decoupled consensus protocolCrypto Briefing · Sep 27
French authorities investigate Verasity founders for alleged crypto fraud and money laundering.Pluang · Sep 27

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