Latest news with #Dread
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Samourai Wallet devs plead guilty to money-transmitting charge as Tornado Cash verdict looms
The co-founders of a popular Bitcoin mixing service pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. Samourai Wallet co-founders Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill did not plead guilty to a separate money laundering charge. They will be sentenced in November. Their plea deal in US court in New York came amid closing arguments in the separate criminal trial of Roman Storm, the co-founder of Tornado Cash, another so-called crypto mixer. Jurors in that case could deliver a verdict as early as Wednesday. Crypto privacy Like the Samourai co-founders, Storm is facing charges of conspiracy to launder money and to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. But the Tornado Cash co-founder has also been charged with conspiracy to violate US sanctions. He faces more than 40 years in prison. The prosecution of the developers behind Samourai Wallet and Tornado Cash have galvanized crypto proponents who fear financial and technological privacy rights are in jeopardy. Guilty verdicts would have far-reaching consequences, they say, as they would imply that many developers of privacy-enhancing software can be held criminally liable for their work. Whirlpool feature Launched in 2015, Samourai Wallet is a mobile Bitcoin wallet available on the Google Play store, where it was downloaded more than 100,000 times, according to court papers. It was removed from the store after the founders were charged last year. In 2017, the venture launched a privacy-enhancing feature called Ricochet, which routed Bitcoin transfers through additional wallets to complicate attempts to trace the Bitcoin to its ultimate destination, prosecutors said. Two years later, Samourai launched the Whirlpool feature, which mixes users' Bitcoin, making it difficult, if not impossible, to trace. More than $2 billion in Bitcoin has passed through the Ricochet and Whirlpool features, according to court papers. About $250 million of that Bitcoin came from various hacks and scams, prosecutors allege. And the Samourai co-founders had knowledge of this activity, according to the indictment. In a WhatsApp exchange in January 2018, Rodriguez, asked to explain what 'mixing' was, replied, 'money laundering for Bitcoin,' said court papers. 'Samourai Wallet was overwhelmingly used — by tens of thousands of everyday people.' On Dread, a darkweb alternative to Reddit, one user in the 'laundromat' forum asked other users to recommend 'secure methods to clean dirty BTC' so they would 'never get caught.' Hill recommended Samourai Whirlpool, according to the indictment. Legitimate purpose While dirty Bitcoin flowed through Samourai, Rodriguez and Hill ran a Samourai server and paid for web hosting services and Google Play store fees. By April 2024, they had collected a cumulative $4.5 million in fees from Samourai users, according to the indictment. For months, Rodriguez and Hill fought the charges, echoing claims Storm has made in his defense. 'Far from the money-laundering bogeyman portrayed by DOJ, Samourai Wallet was overwhelmingly used — by tens of thousands of everyday people — for a legitimate purpose: to keep their private financial information private,' Rodriguez's attorney wrote in a motion to dismiss the charges. 'Essentially, Samourai allowed users to avoid posting the cryptocurrency-equivalent of their private credit card or bank statements on the internet for all the world to see.' Key to the developers' defence was 2019 guidance from the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, which stated 'an anonymizing software provider is not a money transmitter.' Indeed, officials at FinCEN reiterated that view in a call with prosecutors in August 2023 — six months before the prosecutors charged the Samourai co-founders. 'Because Samourai does not take 'custody' of the cryptocurrency … that would strongly suggest that Samourai is NOT … acting as an [money services business],' one of the prosecutors wrote in an email summary to their supervisor. The substance of that call became a point of controversy in May, when defence attorneys complained that prosecutors had not furnished the potentially exculpatory information until they were asked for it directly. Before Wednesday's plea agreement, Rodriguez and Hill were set to go to trial in November. Letter campaign The allegation that the founders ran an unlicensed money-transmitting business drew substantial criticism from the crypto industry and its supporters. In May 2024, Senators Cynthia Lummis, a Republican from Wyoming, and Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, wrote then-Attorney General Merrick Garland to protest the Department of Justice's 'unprecedented' interpretation of the federal money-transmitting law, which, they said, threatened to criminalise developers of non-custodial crypto software. And in March, more than 30 crypto companies and lobbying firms signed a letter to lawmakers decrying prosecutors' decision to bring money-transmitting charges against the Samourai and Tornado Cash co-founders, writing, 'under this interpretation, essentially every blockchain developer could be prosecuted as a criminal.' A month later, the Department of Justice published a four-page memo stating it no longer intended to pursue cases in which it charges crypto mixers 'for the acts of their end users or unwitting violations of regulations.' Nor would it pursue charges for unlicensed money transmitting, violations of the Bank Secrecy Act, or failure to register with US financial regulators without evidence the mixers knew of those requirements. In a footnote, however, the department said it was not changing its guidance in cases where business owners know they're handling dirty money. Rodriguez and Hill were arrested in the US and in Portugal, respectively, in April 2024. Aleks Gilbert is DL News' New York-based DeFi correspondent. You can reach him at aleks@ Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Horror Movie ‘Die'ced: Reloaded' Sets Summer Release and Reveals First Trailer (Exclusive)
A feature reimagining of a viral short film has landed a theatrical release and is sharing its first gruesome footage. Die'ced: Reloaded is set to hit theaters Aug. 8 ahead of its VOD launch Aug. 12 from Epic Pictures' horror label Dread, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively. Writer-director Jeremy Rudd's slasher movie expands upon the story that kicked off with Rudd's 2023 viral short Die'ced. More from The Hollywood Reporter Billy Joel HBO Documentary Trailer Highlights Classical Music to "Uptown Girl" Journey Amid "Hard Lessons": "Life Is a Fight" Scott Derrickson, Maggie Levin Tackling Adaptation of Horror Novel 'Ghost Eaters' for Screen Gems (Exclusive) Mark Duplass, Avan Jogia and More Join Horror Film 'The Backrooms' From A24, Chernin Entertainment Set in 1980s Seattle, Die'ced: Reloaded centers on Benny, a notorious serial killer who flees an asylum on Halloween with the help of a scarecrow mask to begin a trail of carnage. It becomes clear that Benny is hunting a young woman who has unknowingly become his fixation. The trailer can be seen below for the film that stars Eden Campbell (Fear Street: Part Two — 1978), Jason Brooks (The Death of Snow White) and Nigel Vona (The Chronicles of Riddick). Producers include Jeffrey Decker, Chad Ferrin and Tylor Jones. 'I'm excited to bring audiences back to the gritty nostalgia of classic '80s and '90s slasher horror while blending it with modern horror,' says Rudd. 'I can't wait for everyone to meet our final girl, Cassandra, and our soon-to-be iconic villain, Benny.' Adds Epic Pictures CEO Patrick Ewald, 'When I first saw the original short film by Jeremy Rudd, Die'ced, I knew it had the potential to become something bigger, meaner, bloodier and with an ever more unhinged killer, Benny. Die'ced: Reloaded is exactly that. The team at Epic and Dread are proud to have helped bring this savage vision to life and thrilled to unleash it on horror fans who crave brutal creativity and fearless filmmaking.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter The 40 Best Films About the Immigrant Experience Wes Anderson's Movies Ranked From Worst to Best 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Today's ‘Wordle' #1480 Hints, Clues And Answer For Tuesday, July 8th
How to solve today's Wordle. Looking for Monday's Wordle hints, clues and answer? You can find them here: Another Tuesday, another Wordle to solve. It looks like we're going to get more rain, so I'm a happy camper. Well, I suppose if I were camping I'd be unhappy. As much as I love monsoons, it can put a real damper on the camping expeditions. I'm not camping, however. I'm solving Wordles. Let's solve today's! How To Solve Today's Wordle The Hint: Terror. The Clue: This Wordle has a double letter. Okay, spoilers below! The answer is coming! FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder . . . Today's Wordle Every day I check Wordle Bot to help analyze my guessing game. You can check your Wordles with Wordle Bot right here. CRONE was a pretty good starting guess, but I still couldn't pull this one off in three. STEAL only slashed my remaining 38 words to 7, and while BREAD is far more delicious than DREAD, the latter was the Wordle. Today's Wordle Bot I can't catch a break! Guessing in four gest me 0 points and losing to the bot -1. The Bot gets 1 point for guessing in three and another beating me. The July gap widens to: Erik: -2 points Wordle Bot: 5 points The word "dread" comes from Old English drǣdan, meaning "to fear greatly" or "be in awe of." It likely evolved from the Proto-Germanic draudan, related to dreogan ("to endure, suffer"). The noun form, meaning "great fear or apprehension," developed in Middle English. Let me know how you fared with your Wordle today on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. Also be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow me here on this blog where I write about games, TV shows and movies when I'm not writing puzzle guides. Sign up for my newsletter for more reviews and commentary on entertainment and culture.
RTÉ News
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Who are the punk duo Bob Vylan, in the spotlight after Glastonbury set?
Footage of punk duo Bob Vylan's Glastonbury Festival performance is being assessed by Avon and Somerset Police to see whether any offences may have been committed. The duo, made up of Bobby Vylan and Bobbie Vylan, led crowds at the West Holts Stage in a chant of "death, death to the IDF" as they performed before Irish rap trio Kneecap. But who are Bob Vylan? Formed in Ipswich in 2017, both members of Bob Vylan keep their real names secret to maintain their privacy. The band's musical style is an innovative mix of grime, punk and hard rock, and they have released four albums, Dread (2019), We Live Here (2020), Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life (2022), and Humble as the Sun (2024). They won best alternative music act at the Mobo Awards in 2022, and best album at the Kerrang awards in 2022 for Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life. They have collaborated with Amyl And The Sniffers singer Amy Taylor, Soft Play guitarist Laurie Vincent and rock band Kid Kapichi. What do their performances entail? Bob Vylan perform a high energy set of sampled guitar tracks mixed with live drumming from Bobbie, and the band often see their audiences pogoing and moshing, but they make an effort to ensure the crowd acts safely. The band's songs often speak out against racism, homophobia, toxic masculinity and far right politics, and the track Pretty Songs is often introduced by Bobby saying that "violence is the only language that some people understand". In their early days Bobby would sometimes wield a baseball bat, thrashing it in the direction of the crowd, and carry out other provocative actions such as wearing the football shirt of the rivals of the town or city in which they were playing. Recently the band has become less confrontational, and Bobbie regularly performs a drum solo to the late Roy Ayers' chilled out Everybody Loves The Sunshine. During their Glastonbury set, Bobby brought out his daughter to sing with him on Dream Bigger. Have they been in the news before? In 2021, the Norwich Evening News reported that one fan was on the end of a tirade from Bobby, after he was hit by an ice cube while performing in an Ipswich Town shirt, and the gig was said to have been halted while the singer ranted. Bobby is also said to have wielded a baseball bat at the gig, and the news article was headlined "the frost and the fury". Sarah Corbett, from Norwich, who was on the receiving end of the alleged tirade, told the newspaper: "We were all having fun on the dance floor. I'd put an ice cube down my friend's top for a laugh. "Another girl then threw it at her friend, but it missed and landed at his feet. "At that point he stopped the gig and demanded to know who had thrown it. "Seeing the girl's face drop, I decided to take the flak and announced it was me. He started abusing me through the microphone. "As I tried to leave, one of his fans tried to grab me by the throat." A band spokesman told the paper after the incident that they "completely refute any wrongdoing" and that Bobby "did not want to engage".
Wales Online
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Who are Glastonbury punk duo Bob Vylan who sparked mass anger and controversy
Who are Glastonbury punk duo Bob Vylan who sparked mass anger and controversy The duo, made up of Bobby Vylan and Bobbie Vylan, led crowds at the West Holts Stage Bob Vylan performing on the West Holts Stage (Image: © 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved ) Footage of punk duo Bob Vylan's Glastonbury Festival performance is being assessed by Avon and Somerset Police to see whether any offences may have been committed. The duo, made up of Bobby Vylan and Bobbie Vylan, led crowds at the West Holts Stage in a chant of "death, death to the IDF" as they performed before Irish rap trio Kneecap. But who are Bob Vylan? Formed in Ipswich in 2017, both members of Bob Vylan keep their real names secret to maintain their privacy. The band's musical style is an innovative mix of grime, punk and hard rock, and they have released four albums, Dread (2019), We Live Here (2020), Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life (2022), and Humble as the Sun (2024). They won best alternative music act at the Mobo Awards in 2022, and best album at the Kerrang awards in 2022 for Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life. They have collaborated with Amyl And The Sniffers singer Amy Taylor, Soft Play guitarist Laurie Vincent and rock band Kid Kapichi. Article continues below What do their performances entail? Bob Vylan perform a high energy set of sampled guitar tracks mixed with live drumming from Bobbie, and the band often see their audiences pogoing and moshing, but they make an effort to ensure the crowd acts safely. The band's songs often speak out against racism, homophobia, toxic masculinity and far right politics, and the track Pretty Songs is often introduced by Bobby saying that "violence is the only language that some people understand". In their early days Bobby would sometimes wield a baseball bat, thrashing it in the direction of the crowd, and carry out other provocative actions such as wearing the football shirt of the rivals of the town or city in which they were playing. Recently the band has become less confrontational, and Bobbie regularly performs a drum solo to the late Roy Ayers' chilled out Everybody Loves The Sunshine. During their Glastonbury set, Bobby brought out his daughter to sing with him on Dream Bigger. Have they been in the news before? In 2021, the Norwich Evening News reported that one fan was on the end of a tirade from Bobby, after he was hit by an ice cube while performing in an Ipswich Town shirt, and the gig was said to have been halted while the singer ranted. Bobby is also said to have wielded a baseball bat at the gig, and the news article was headlined "the frost and the fury". Sarah Corbett, from Norwich, who was on the receiving end of the alleged tirade, told the newspaper: "We were all having fun on the dance floor. I'd put an ice cube down my friend's top for a laugh. "Another girl then threw it at her friend, but it missed and landed at his feet. "At that point he stopped the gig and demanded to know who had thrown it. "Seeing the girl's face drop, I decided to take the flak and announced it was me. He started abusing me through the microphone. "As I tried to leave, one of his fans tried to grab me by the throat." Article continues below A band spokesman told the paper after the incident that they "completely refute any wrongdoing" and that Bobby "did not want to engage".
