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The recent Wall Street Journal article that claimed Hamas raised $130 million via cryptocurrency has sparked considerable debate, especially after Sen. Elizabeth Warren used it as her sole source to ask for tighter regulations around crypto. However, the veracity of this claim has come under scrutiny.\xa0\nYaya Fanusie, Jessi Brooks, and Andrew Fierman delve into the veracity of reported figures, the methodology behind them, and the subsequent industry responses that sought to correct the public record. They examine the political implications of cryptocurrency, its use in funding organizations, and the nuanced role of stablecoins in this digital economy. Additionally, they address the broader challenges in regulating crypto to prevent illicit funding, emphasizing the need for factual accuracy and a comprehensive approach to understanding and tackling such complex issues.\xa0\nListen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.\nShow highlights:\n\nhow the Wall Street Journal article claimed that Hamas and other militant groups in Palestine raised $130 million via crypto\n\nwhy Yaya, who spent some time in his career doing research on terrorist financing, found those numbers odd\n\nwhy Jessi believes that there's been a loss of focus on facts and accuracy\n\nAndrew's explanation of the post by Chainalysis that corrected the record\n\nwhy it's so difficult to make a confident assessment of how much money is being funneled to terrorist groups\n\nwhether crypto has become politicized\xa0\n\nwhy is it so important to focus not only on the crypto fundraising but also the other avenues, according to Jessi\n\nthe role of USDT and other stablecoins in fundraising terrorist organizations\n\nhow North Korea is a much more sophisticated actor than Hamas in its know-how about crypto\n\nhow the government has tried to respond to the illicit usage of crypto, such as the OFAC sanctions on Tornado cash\n\nthe challenges to creating regulations to prevent the use of illicit activity in crypto\n\nThank you to our sponsors!\n\nCrypto.com\n\nLayerZero\n\nPopcorn Network\n\nGuests:\n\n\nYaya Fanusie, Director of anti-money laundering and cyber risk at the Crypto Council for Innovation\n\nPrevious appearance on Unchained: How Widespread Is Money Laundering in Crypto?\n\n\n\nHamas has been experimenting with crypto for years: Yaya Fanusie, appearance on FOX Business\n\n\n\nJessi Brooks, CCO and Legal Officer at Ribbit Capital\n\nPrevious appearance on Unchained: How This DOJ Strike Force Hunts Down Cryptocurrency Criminals\n\n\n\nAndrew Fierman, Head of Sanctions Strategy at Chainalysis\xa0\n\nLinks\nFundraising report and corrections:\n\nWSJ:\xa0\n\nHamas Militants Behind Israel Attack Raised Millions in Crypto\n\nCryptocurrency Feeds Hamas\u2019s Terrorism\n\nQuestioning Two Senators on Crypto Terrorism\n\nWashington Post:\xa0\n\n\n\nU.S. to warn crypto firms against financing Hamas, terror groups\xa0\n\nU.S. Cyber Command helps prosecutors seize stolen cryptocurrency traced to illicit N. Korea nuclear weapons program\n\nFT: Israel orders freeze on crypto accounts in bid to block funding for Hamas\n\n\nFortune: Stricter verification laws in the U.S. won\u2019t stop international terrorists from using crypto\n\n\nDOJ: Global Disruption of Three Terror Finance Cyber-Enabled Campaigns\n\n\nElliptic:\xa0\n\nSetting the record straight on crypto crowdfunding by Hamas\n\nHow Hamas has utilized crypto, and what may be coming\n\nChainalysis:\xa0\n\nCryptocurrency and Terrorism Financing: Correcting the Record\n\nDOJ Takedowns Terrorism Financing with Blockchain Analysis\n\n\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices