⏳ Wednesday Fix: Crypto Crimes
Morning all,
A rapper, a Forbes contributor, and a seemingly successful businesswoman - turns out its the same person, also turns out she's been arrested and charged alongside her husband, for allegedly conspiring to launder $4.5 billion in crypto currency.
Until tomorrow,
Your Fixers
GOOD LISTENER?
Click the screenshot below to access the podcast version of today's NewsFix.
LOST IN TRANSLATION?
Okay, we all saw the length of the table where presidents Putin and Macron sat during their roughly five-hour meeting on Monday, with the French president looking for a way to prevent a possible invasion of Ukraine.
Well, now it seems there's also a distance in their understandings of how the meeting went.
Okay, go on... well, Macron went to Kiev on Tuesday to meet Ukraine's President Zelensky. While there, he said Putin gave him assurances Russia would not further escalate the Ukraine crisis. The Russian government played that down, and Zelensky expressed skepticism.
Meanwhile, Reuters noted six Russian warships are headed towards the Black Sea (to the south of Ukraine) for reportedly "pre-planned" naval drills.
Worth a watch: Remember on Monday when President Biden said the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline would be stopped if Russia invaded Ukraine? Well, some of you were very interested in why the German Chancellor alongside him didn't seem quite so keen. Below is a great explainer as to why 👇🏽
Worth a read: Also, for anyone new here (hey!) our recent piece will really help you wrap your head around what is actually going on, and why. All Eyes on Ukraine - Is Russia Going to Invade?
DEADLY POLITICS?
The prime minister of Haiti played a role in the assassination of the country's president last July, according to a judge.
Background: President Moïse was sworn in as president in February 2017 after a controversial election. Last February, he said an attempted coup against him was foiled. In July, President Moïse was fatally shot twelve times in his bed when more than two dozen armed men broke into the presidential compound, and were met with little resistance from security guards.
CNN exclusively obtained an audio recording of the judge who used to be presiding over the case, who did not know he was being recorded. In it, he is heard saying prime minister Ariel Henry is a "prime suspect" in the murder of the late president.
"Ariel (Henry) is connected and friends with the mastermind of the assassination. They planned it with him. Ariel is a prime suspect of Jovenel Moïse's assassination, and he knows it." - Judge Garry Orélien
CRYPTO CRIMES
A couple in New York were arrested Tuesday and charged with conspiring to launder $4.5 billion in stolen cryptocurrency.
The Justice Department described it as the "largest financial seizure ever", with the government seizing $3.6 billion of those funds.
Who was arrested? Ilya Lichtenstein (34) and his wife, Heather Morgan (31).
Okay, why is that interesting? Well, Morgan has an interesting online presence. She is a rapper who uses the name 'Razzlekhan' online. She is also a former contributor to Forbes magazine.
Hey, while you're here... ever wanted to actually understand how Bitcoin works? Read our latest piece by clicking 👇🏽 or 👉🏽 Bitcoin: What's The Environmental Impact?
FORGIVE ME, FATHER?
Former Pope Benedict has acknowledged his historic failures to stop four priests who were accused of child sex abuse, but reportedly stopped short of a direct apology.
What is this all about? Before Benedict - real name Joseph Ratzinger - was Pope, he was the Archbishop of Munich between 1977 and 1982. A recent German report documenting abuses in the archdiocese between 1945 and 2019 found Benedict failed to act against suspected accusers.
Worth noting: In the letter, Benedict said God would be the ultimate judge, adding "quite soon, I shall find myself before the final judge of my life". The Guardian described it as a "long life approaching its end", while Al Jazeera noted he was "frail".
WAGS AT WAR
The ongoing legal battle between Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy - known as 'Wagatha Christie' - was back in the headlines yesterday.
Why? Because a number of Vardy's text exchanges with her friend and former agent were heard in court, including Vardy saying she would "love to leak those stories" about Rooney. According to BBC News, a trial is expected in May.
For more, click 👇🏽 for our Instagram explainer.
MOST READ
- BBC News: The English test that ruined thousands of lives
- The Guardian: Emmanuel Macron's remarks on Russia set alarm bells ringing
- The Financial Times: US and Germany struggle to present united front on Nord Stream 2
- Al Jazeera: Outrage after hijab-wearing woman heckled by Hindu mob in India
- The Irish Times: Rents surge as property availability hovers close to historic lows
AND THE RECORDS GO TO...
Denzel Washington has been nominated for an Oscar for the tenth time, making him the most nominated Black actor in Oscar history.
Meanwhile, Stephen Spielberg also broke a record. He has now produced eleven movies that have been nominated for best picture.
TODAY MARKS...
20 years since the death of the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret.
TWITTER TRENDS
#Adele
Why? The singer took home three awards at last night's Brit Awards - artist, song and album of the year.
"Her victory was so inevitable that organisers had to invent an award, songwriter of the year, to give to poor old Ed Sheeran - who otherwise would have gone home empty-handed, despite having spent a quarter of last year at the top of the singles chart." - interesting BBC context
Adele also made headlines for two other reasons - for wearing a massive diamond ring on her engagement finger, and for her acceptance speech for best artist. That's because it is the first year the categories for best male and female artist were merged as one.
"I understand why the name of this award has changed, but I really love being a woman and being a female artist. I'm really proud of us, I really am."
ON A LIGHTER NOTE...
Oh the nostalgia.
