Latest news with #TomRobinson
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Telegram Cracks Down on Suspected $8B Chinese Crypto Crime Marketplace Set Up in Colorado
Messaging app Telegram has closed thousands of channels belonging to suspected Chinese crypto-crime marketplaces after new research shed light on the situation, according to Elliptic. The closure follows a report published by the blockchain analytics firm on Tuesday into the fast-growing Telegram-based marketplace called Xinbi Guarantee. The Colorado-incorporated marketplace has processed over $8.4 billion worth of transactions using Tether's USDT stablecoin since 2022. It facilitates services relating to money laundering, operating crypto scam compounds and other illicit services, such as intimidation and sex trafficking, according to Elliptic. 'Elliptic is tracking around thirty other such marketplaces, all leveraging Telegram and stablecoin payments,' the report said. Telegram did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Such marketplaces are a key part of the Southeast Asia-based global cyberscam epidemic by providing scammers with the tools needed to conduct fraud on an industrial scale. One of the biggest such marketplaces is Huione Guarantee, according to Chainalysis, facilitates similar services to Xinbi. The firm behind it, Huione Group, has ties to Cambodia's ruling family. Xinbi and Huione, the two largest Telegram-based marketplaces, are responsible for a combined $35 billion in illicit transactions, Elliptic said. On May 1, the U.S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) designated Huione Group a 'primary money laundering concern,' saying it helped launder at least $4 billion worth of illicit proceeds between August 2021 and January 2025. Services offered on marketplaces like Xinbi and Huione are infamous for enabling industrial-scale scam compounds across Southeast Asia. These compounds attract victims with the promise of well-paid IT work. When they arrive they are trafficked, imprisoned and forced to carry out online pig butchering scams to pay off phony debts. Xinbi vendors offer Starlink satellite internet equipment, which is often used by scam compounds, fake IDs and databases of stolen personal information used to target potential fraud victims, Elliptic said. Another big driver of business is money laundering services, according to the report. Such services are mostly used to launder the proceeds of pig butchering scams, but funds from North Korean crypto heists are also in the mix. Elliptic found about $220,000 in USDT originating from the $230 million WazirX theft in July was sent to Xinbi, indicating that vendors operating on the marketplace were employed to help launder proceeds of the heist. It's not clear whether North Korean IT workers are interacting with Xinbi vendors directly, though. 'Our hypothesis is that the funds are under the control of Chinese money laundering groups by the time they enter marketplaces such as Xinbi,' Tom Robinson, chief scientist and co-founder at Elliptic, told CoinDesk over email. What sets Xinbi apart from other similar marketplaces, however, is its connection to the U.S. On its website, Xinbi describes itself as an 'investment and capital guarantee group company' operating as a Colorado-based corporation, Elliptic said. The Colorado corporate register shows a company called 'Xinbi Co., Ltd' was incorporated in August 2022, with an office in Aurora, Colorado even though the Chinese-language marketplace is primarily used by fraudsters in Asia. 'These marketplaces depend on trust,' Robinson said. 'A U.S. incorporation does bring some level of legitimacy.' Robinson also noted that similar marketplaces have previously conducted exit scams, where a business stops shipping orders while still receiving payments, eventually walking away with the money. 'Anything that inspires confidence will help attract customers,' he said. In January 2025, the company's status was updated to delinquent for failing to file a periodic report.
The Guardian
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Willkommen, bienvenue! New festival celebrates translated fiction from Cameroon to Slovakia as sales boom
A new festival of translated literature is being launched in Bristol next week amid a sales boom in translated fiction in the UK. Translated By, Bristol is the brainchild of Polly Barton, author and translator of the award-winning Butter by Asako Yuzuki, and Tom Robinson, owner of Gloucester Road Books, which is organising the festival alongside Barton and another independent Bristol bookshop, Storysmith. 'Translated fiction becoming more popular in recent years has not necessarily led to a greater appreciation for the work of translators, or much consideration of the act of translation itself,' says Robinson. 'We wanted to think about whether there was something we could do that would address both of these concerns.' The festival, which runs 12-25 May, will feature a conversation between five translators shortlisted for the International Booker prize and a 'translation duel' – in which translators debate their translations of a text in front of an audience – among other events. UK readers continue to have strong appetites for translated fiction, with Butter selling almost 250,000 copies in the UK last year. Social media buzz around particular titles has helped shift copies: Ros Schwartz's translation of Jacqueline Harpman's I Who Have Never Known Men, a favourite on 'BookTok', sold 45,000 copies last year, an elevenfold rise on 2022 sales. Festival organisers were aware of increased interest in translated literature from readers, meaning they felt the festival 'would have a breadth of appeal it might not have done, say, five years ago', says Barton. A central reason for the recent success of translated literature is the work of independent publishers such as Fitzcarraldo, Peirene and Comma, say the organisers. Those presses 'tend to be more willing to take risks', adds Robinson. One of the key aims of the festival is to showcase a 'breadth of languages and geographies, beyond the major languages and locations of Europe, which tend to occupy so much focus', says Robinson. The programme features an event on translating the work of the Cameroonian poet Jean-Claude Awono and another with Hassan Blasim, who writes in Arabic, along with his translator Jonathan Wright. The festival will also host a conversation between two prominent translators of Latin American literature, Frank Wynne and Annie McDermott. 'We also have events featuring European languages that aren't the five or so that get the most attention,' says Barton, with conversations about books translated from Slovakian (This Room Is Impossible to Eat by Nicol Hochholczerová, translated by Julia and Peter Sherwood) and Danish (Iron Lung by Kirstine Reffstrup, translated by Hunter Simpson). Barton sees this approach of 'actively looking beyond our immediate borders' as helping to 'resist the political currents promoting xenophobia, prejudice and cultural homogeneity'. The festival will also see Max Porter talking to two of his translators, Saskia van der Lingen (Dutch) and Charles Recoursé (French). It will close with the translation duel, featuring Adriana Hunter and Wynne. 'The language of the slam this year is French, and we're distributing the text to people in advance, so there's the opportunity for people with a little French knowledge to have a go themselves if they like,' says Robinson. Duels are an 'excellent way of opening up the process for people and allowing them to get a sense of how creative translation really is', adds Barton. Translated By, Bristol is on 12-25 May
Scoop
29-04-2025
- Science
- Scoop
AF8 Roadshow Coming To Marlborough
Press Release – Marlborough District Council AF8 Science Lead (University of Canterbury) Dr Tom Robinson said the fact that roadshow is on its fourth tour was testament to the support and interest in the science from communities. We can't predict earthquakes, but we can prepare for them. Marlborough Emergency Management's Senior Advisor Community Resilience Dave Parsons says the award-winning AF8 Roadshow: The Science Beneath Our Feet visiting Marlborough next week is a free public science talk designed to build resilience to the next Alpine Fault earthquake. 'The AF8 Roadshow is a chance to hear from leading Alpine Fault scientists about the likely impacts of an Alpine Fault earthquake in our region and how we can be better prepared for such an event,' Dave said. Earthquake scientists and Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Groups have partnered for the fourth time to bring the popular roadshow to more than 20 South Island communities to share world-leading science. Marlborough Girls' and Boys' Colleges, Queen Charlotte College and Richmond View School will receive visits and there are two public meetings in Marlborough – at the Renwick Anglican Parish Hall on 7 May at 7pm and the Queen Charlotte College Hall on 8 May at 7pm. All are welcome and no RSVP is required. 'The roadshow is part of an ongoing series of activities designed to support conversations and knowledge sharing around large natural hazard events like an Alpine Fault earthquake, ensuring that communities and agencies are collectively better prepared. 'While we can't predict when earthquakes will occur, scientific research indicates there is a 75% probability of an Alpine Fault earthquake occurring in the next 50 years, and that there is a 4 out of 5 chance that it will be a magnitude 8+ event,' Dave said. AF8 Science Lead (University of Canterbury) Dr Tom Robinson said the fact that roadshow is on its fourth tour was testament to the support and interest in the science from communities. 'While we can't predict when the next large Alpine Fault earthquake will happen, we know it will cause severe disruption and pose a major challenge for the nation. The AF8 Roadshow plays a critical role in supporting our communities to make informed decisions and to understand and prepare for this inevitable earthquake.' The AF8 Roadshow is sponsored by the Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake (NHC). NHC Public Education Manager Hamish Armstrong said research indicated there was a 75 per cent probability of an Alpine Fault earthquake occurring in the next 50 years, which would impact the entire South Island and beyond. 'It's so important that we're well-informed about what those impacts could look like for our homes and families – and that people know there's a lot we can all be doing to be well prepared.'
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Adaptavate raises funds to advance low-carbon construction technology
Adaptavate, a company specialising in the development of low-carbon and carbon-negative construction materials, has successfully raised £2.7m ($3.6m) in a pre-Series A funding round. The round saw significant contributions from Asia-based Undivided Ventures and Skreenhouse Ventures by SigmaRoc, along with other industry stakeholders and existing investors. Adaptavate's partnership with SigmaRoc, established as part of this funding round, is set to create a supply chain for calcium carbonate-based wallboards. The collaboration will also explore opportunities for producing and distributing Adaptavate's products throughout Europe. This financial boost is expected to accelerate 'Project Crystal', Adaptavate's industrial demonstrator facility, which aims to scale up the production of its low-carbon technology. The investment will bolster the company's efforts to industrialise and globally adopt their products, including the flagship Breathaboard. Adaptavate's proprietary technology is stated to transform the construction industry by introducing circular and healthier building materials. The company's Breathaboard, a sustainable plasterboard alternative, is claimed to have the potential to reduce carbon emissions by up to 4kg per square metre. Stated to meet international wallboard standards, Breathaboard is currently undergoing trials at UK commercial sites in collaboration with partners such as British Land, Royal London Asset Management Property, and Overbury. According to Adaptavate, it has garnered nearly £9m through investments and public grants. Adaptavate CEO and founder Tom Robinson said: 'This latest funding round marks another major step towards our vision of making planet-positive construction products an industrial and international reality. With Undivided Ventures' expertise and insights into the fast-growing South Asian market, alongside SigmaRoc's deep industrial knowledge and leading decarbonisation strategy, we are well-positioned to accelerate our impact. 'We are also deeply grateful for the continued support of our existing investors, who have stood by us through key milestones on this journey. Project Crystal will demonstrate how the construction sector can transition from a major source of emissions to a net carbon sink, capturing and repurposing carbon to support global climate goals.' "Adaptavate raises funds to advance low-carbon construction technology" was originally created and published by World Construction Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
North Korean hackers cash out hundreds of millions from $1.5bn ByBit hack
Hackers thought to be working for the North Korean regime have successfully converted at least $300m (£232m) of their record-breaking $1.5bn crypto heist to unrecoverable funds. The criminals, known as Lazarus Group, swiped the huge haul of digital tokens in a hack on crypto exchange ByBit two weeks ago. Since then, it's been a cat-and-mouse game to track and block the hackers from successfully converting the crypto into usable cash. Experts say the infamous hacking team is working nearly 24 hours a day - potentially funnelling the money into the regime's military development. "Every minute matters for the hackers who are trying to confuse the money trail and they are extremely sophisticated in what they're doing," says Dr Tom Robinson, co-founder of crypto investigators Elliptic. Out of all the criminal actors involved in crypto currency, North Korea is the best at laundering crypto, Dr Robinson says. "I imagine they have an entire room of people doing this using automated tools and years of experience. We can also see from their activity that they only take a few hours break each day, possibly working in shifts to get the crypto turned into cash." Elliptic's analysis tallies with ByBit, which says that 20% of the funds have now "gone dark", meaning it is unlikely to ever be recovered. The US and allies accuse the North Koreans of carrying out dozens of hacks in recent years to fund the regime's military and nuclear development. On 21 February the criminals hacked one of ByBit's suppliers to secretly alter the digital wallet address that 401,000 Ethereum crypto coins were being sent to. ByBit thought it was transferring the funds to its own digital wallet, but instead sent it all to the hackers. Ben Zhou, the CEO of ByBit, assured customers that none of their funds had been taken. The firm has since replenished the stolen coins with loans from investors, but is, in Zhou's words, "waging war on Lazarus". ByBit's Lazarus Bounty programme is encouraging members of the public to trace the stolen funds and get them frozen where possible. All crypto transactions are displayed on a public blockchain, so it's possible to track the money as it's moved around by the Lazarus Group. If the hackers try to use a mainstream crypto service to attempt to turn the coins into normal money like dollars, the crypto coins can be frozen by the company if they think they are linked to crime. So far 20 people have shared more than $4m in rewards for successfully identifying $40m of the stolen money and alerting crypto firms to block transfers. But experts are downbeat about the chances of the rest of the funds being recoverable, given the North Korean expertise in hacking and laundering the money. "North Korea is a very closed system and closed economy so they created a successful industry for hacking and laundering and they don't care about the negative impression of cyber crime," Dr Dorit Dor from cyber security company Check Point said. Another problem is that not all crypto companies are as willing to help as others. Crypto exchange eXch is being accused by ByBit and others of not stopping the criminals cashing out. More than $90m has been successfully funnelled through this exchange. But over email the elusive owner of eXch - Johann Roberts - disputed that. He admits they didn't initially stop the funds, as his company is in a long-running dispute with ByBit, and he says his team wasn't sure the coins were definitely from the hack. He says he is now co-operating, but argues that mainstream companies that identify crypto customers are betraying the private and anonymous benefits of crypto currency. North Korea has never admitted being behind the Lazarus Group, but is thought to be the only country in the world using its hacking powers for financial gain. Previously the Lazarus Group hackers targeted banks, but have in the last five years specialised in attacking cryptocurrency companies. The industry is less well protected with fewer mechanisms in place to stop them laundering the funds. Recent hacks linked to North Korea include: The 2019 hack on UpBit for $41m The $275m theft of crypto from exchange KuCoin (most of the funds were recovered) The 2022 Ronin Bridge attack which saw hackers make off with $600m in crypto Approximately $100m in crypto was stolen in an attack on Atomic Wallet in 2023 In 2020, the US added North Koreans accused of being part of the Lazarus Group to its Cyber Most Wanted list. But the chances of the individuals ever being arrested are extremely slim unless they leave their country.
