Audit log

Every state-changing event for Interpol Operation First Light 2026 — $123M Romance Scam Crypto Network: moderation decisions on community submissions, plus corrections and updates from the news pipeline. URL-based decisions are designed to carry three independent witnesses — the original source, an Internet Archive snapshot, and a Solana memo signed by our publicly-disclosed publisher key. Archive coverage is still being backfilled, so each decision below reports its own snapshot status rather than assuming one exists.

1. #1publishby system:backfill

   2026-07-31 12:28:01Z
   Score: ? → ? (no score change)
   anchorpending

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   9YBFw8GsuNFQ…3dKpruCZcopysha256 → base58

   verifying row…

   canonical bytes (27116 B) ▸

   {"actor":"system:backfill","investigation_id":"02dd591c-879c-4f2f-b0a7-2f84a0be2243","kind":"publish","page_slug":"interpol-operation-first-light-2026-123m-romance-scam-crypto-network","published_at":"2026-07-31T12:28:00.971Z","sequence_num":1,"snapshot":{"content_type":"investigation","entity_name":"Interpol Operation First Light 2026 — $123M Romance Scam Crypto Network","sections":[{"content":"Operation First Light 2026 was coordinated by INTERPOL from January 15 to April 30, 2026. It spanned 97 countries and territories and focused on social engineering scams including romance scams, business email compromise (BEC), investment fraud, sextortion, and impersonation schemes, as well as associated money laundering activities. The operation analyzed 152,808 fraud cases, solved 23,715, blocked 31,014 bank accounts, and issued 99 INTERPOL notices and diffusions. A total of 15,606 suspects were identified across participating jurisdictions. China's Ministry of Public Security provided primary funding for the operation, with coordination from ASEANAPOL, GCCPOL, and Europol. INTERPOL's Global Rapid Intervention of Payments (I-GRIP) mechanism was used to freeze suspicious transfers across both traditional banking channels and virtual asset networks in near real-time.","heading":"Operation Overview","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"INTERPOL Official Press Release — Over 5,800 arrests, USD 293 million intercepted in global fraud bust","type":"official","url":"https://www.interpol.int/en/News-and-Events/News/2026/Over-5-800-arrests-USD-293-million-intercepted-in-global-fraud-bust"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Cryptopolitan — INTERPOL seizes $293 million, arrests 5,811 in global scam crackdown","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptopolitan.com/interpol-global-scam-crackdown/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Security Affairs — INTERPOL Operation First Light Nets 5,811 Arrests and Seizes $293 Million","type":"news_article","url":"https://securityaffairs.com/195056/security/interpol-operation-first-light-nets-5811-arrests-and-seizes-293-million.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Infosecurity Magazine — Chinese-Funded Interpol Cybercrime Crackdown Leads to 5,800 Arrests","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/china-interpol-cybercrime-crackdown/"}]},{"content":"The operation produced the following verified enforcement metrics as reported by INTERPOL: 5,811 individuals arrested across 97 countries; approximately $293 million in illicit assets intercepted; 142,000 or more victims identified; 152,808 fraud cases analyzed; 23,715 cases resolved; 31,014 bank accounts blocked; 15,606 suspects identified; and 99 INTERPOL notices and diffusions issued. These figures represent the full operational period of January 15 through April 30, 2026. Individual country-level breakdowns were selectively disclosed by INTERPOL; detailed arrest tallies by jurisdiction have not been fully published as of July 2026.","heading":"Key Enforcement Statistics","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"INTERPOL Official Press Release — Over 5,800 arrests, USD 293 million intercepted in global fraud bust","type":"official","url":"https://www.interpol.int/en/News-and-Events/News/2026/Over-5-800-arrests-USD-293-million-intercepted-in-global-fraud-bust"},{"credibility":3,"name":"QUASA — INTERPOL Operation First Light 2026: 5,811 Arrests Across 97 Countries","type":"news_article","url":"https://quasa.io/media/interpol-operation-first-light-2026-5-811-arrests-across-97-countries"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Crypto Times — INTERPOL Busts Global Scams: 5,811 Arrested, $293M Crypto & Cash Seized","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptotimes.io/2026/07/09/interpol-busts-global-scams-5811-arrested-293m-crypto-cash-seized/"}]},{"content":"The most significant crypto-specific case identified during the operation involved Thai police arresting two individuals in connection with a money laundering scheme that processed romance-scam proceeds through cryptocurrency. According to INTERPOL, a 20-year-old suspect controlled a single cryptocurrency wallet that processed over $122.5 million in alleged fraud proceeds within a ten-month period — an average of approximately $12.3 million per month. INTERPOL has not publicly disclosed the suspect's identity, the specific wallet address, the token types involved, or the protocols used, citing the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation. Thailand was identified as a front-line jurisdiction due to its geographic proximity to Myanmar and Cambodia, regions where numerous scam compound operations are known to be concentrated. Thailand's Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau reportedly receives approximately 800 complaints per day involving cryptocurrency fraud.","heading":"Thailand $122.5M Crypto Wallet Case","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Decrypt — A 20-Year-Old's Crypto Wallet Moved $123M in Romance-Scam Cash: Interpol Says","type":"news_article","url":"https://decrypt.co/373107/a-20-year-olds-crypto-wallet-moved-123m-in-romance-scam-cash-interpol-says"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CryptoSlate — One crypto wallet tied to a 20-year-old fraudster processed over $122M before Interpol closed in","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptoslate.com/interpol-says-one-wallet-processed-122-5m-in-thailand-as-global-fraud-sweep-nets-5811-arrests/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Briefing — Interpol links $123M crypto wallet to romance scam ring after global crackdown","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptobriefing.com/interpol-123m-crypto-wallet-romance-scam-ring/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Tokenist — Interpol Busts $122.5M Crypto Romance Scam","type":"news_article","url":"https://tokenist.com/operation-first-light-2026-crypto-laundering-arrests-romance-scam/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Daily Hodl — Interpol Operation Exposes $122,000,000 Crypto Wallet in Global Fraud Sweep","type":"news_article","url":"https://dailyhodl.com/2026/07/14/interpol-operation-exposes-122000000-crypto-wallet-in-global-fraud-sweep/"}]},{"content":"The Thailand network allegedly employed cross-chain token swaps as the primary obfuscation technique, converting illicit cryptocurrency proceeds across multiple blockchain networks to fragment the transaction trail. By routing funds through decentralized swap protocols that operate across different blockchains, the criminal network exploited a structural gap in most blockchain analytics tooling: most tracking software is optimized for activity within a single chain, and each cross-chain hop lands the investigation on a new network where the analytical tooling changes and, in some cases, so does the applicable legal jurisdiction. This technique makes it exponentially more difficult to reconstruct a single cohesive flow of funds. INTERPOL did not publicly disclose which specific blockchains, decentralized exchange protocols, or token types were involved, stating that specific technical details were withheld due to the sensitivity of ongoing proceedings. The methodology is consistent with broader FATF warnings about the Travel Rule compliance gap in cross-chain and decentralized finance (DeFi) contexts, where sender and recipient information is not systematically shared across jurisdictions.","heading":"Cross-Chain Laundering Methodology","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Briefing — Interpol links $123M crypto wallet to romance scam ring after global crackdown","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptobriefing.com/interpol-123m-crypto-wallet-romance-scam-ring/"},{"credibility":3,"name":"CryptoNexa — Operation First Light 2026 Nets 5,811 Arrests as Cross-Chain Swaps Beat Payment Freezes","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptonexa.com/operation-first-light-2026-nets-5811-arrests-as-cross-chain-swaps-beat-payment-freezes"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto News Flash — Operation First Light 2026 Hits Crypto Launderers, 5,811 Arrested","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.crypto-news-flash.com/operation-first-light-2026-crypto-launderers/"}]},{"content":"INTERPOL's Global Rapid Intervention of Payments (I-GRIP) mechanism was deployed during the operation to freeze suspicious transfers in near real-time by connecting law enforcement directly with financial institutions and virtual asset service providers (VASPs). The Thailand wallet case exposed a significant gap in this mechanism's coverage: I-GRIP can halt a suspicious fiat wire or a straightforward on-chain transfer, but cross-chain swaps fragment the transaction trail across multiple ledgers simultaneously, creating windows of movement that current interagency tooling cannot close quickly enough to intercept. The operation demonstrated that while blockchain forensics have advanced — enabling investigators to eventually reconstruct the $122.5 million flow back to the primary wallet — the speed advantage remains with the launderers when cross-chain infrastructure is involved. Multiple industry analysts noted that the case underscores the need for cross-chain monitoring protocols at the VASP level and expanded international law enforcement capacity in multi-chain blockchain analytics.","heading":"I-GRIP Limitations and Crypto Enforcement Gap","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Briefing — Interpol links $123M crypto wallet to romance scam ring after global crackdown","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptobriefing.com/interpol-123m-crypto-wallet-romance-scam-ring/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Tokenist — Interpol Busts $122.5M Crypto Romance Scam","type":"news_article","url":"https://tokenist.com/operation-first-light-2026-crypto-laundering-arrests-romance-scam/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ComplianceHub.Wiki — 5,811 Arrests, $293 Million Intercepted: What Interpol's Operation First Light 2026 Tells Your Fraud and AML Program","type":"research","url":"https://compliancehub.wiki/interpol-operation-first-light-2026-social-engineering-fraud-aml/"}]},{"content":"A parallel but distinct INTERPOL operation — Operation Red Card 2.0 — ran from December 8, 2025 to January 30, 2026, targeting cybercrime networks across 16 African nations under the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime (AFJOC) framework. This sub-operation involved INTERPOL, AFRIPOL, and Binance, resulting in 651 arrests and the recovery of approximately $4.3 million in direct cash and assets. The broader scam losses attributed to the targeted networks exceeded $45 million. Countries involved included Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, and nine others. The operation dismantled 1,442 malicious IP addresses, domains, and servers, and seized 2,341 devices. Binance contributed technical assistance and blockchain analytics intelligence to trace stolen digital assets; in Nigeria, investigators traced transfers to a residential property serving as a command center for a phishing ring. In Kenya, 27 suspects were arrested for operating fake investment dashboards that displayed simulated returns while siphoning victim funds. The 1,247 victims formally identified during this sub-operation are counted separately from the 142,000-plus victims identified in the broader First Light 2026 operational phase. Multiple media reports, including from Cryptopolitan, initially described Red Card 2.0 as part of First Light 2026; they are related but distinct operations with different timelines, geographies, and coordinating frameworks.","heading":"Parallel Sub-Operation: Operation Red Card 2.0 (Binance / AFRIPOL)","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"The Hacker News — INTERPOL Operation Red Card 2.0 Arrests 651 in African Cybercrime Crackdown","type":"news_article","url":"https://thehackernews.com/2026/02/interpol-operation-red-card-20-arrests.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Cryptopolitan — Binance dismantles $45M scam ring with Interpol, Afripol in operation Red Card 2.0","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptopolitan.com/binance-dismantle-scam-ring-interpol-afripol/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Economy — Operation Red Card 2.0: Binance Helps Lead 651 Arrests and Recovers $4.3M in Scam Crackdown","type":"news_article","url":"https://crypto-economy.com/operation-red-card-2-0-binance-helps-lead-651-arrests-and-recovers-4-3m-in-scam-crackdown/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Help Net Security — 651 arrested, $4.3 million recovered in African cybercrime sweep","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2026/02/20/interpol-operation-red-card-2-0-africa-cybercrime/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"BitcoinKE — INTERPOL's Operation Red Card 2.0 Strikes Major Blow Against Online and Virtual Assets Scam Networks Across Africa","type":"news_article","url":"https://bitcoinke.io/2026/02/operation-red-card-2/"}]},{"content":"Several country-specific enforcement actions were disclosed by INTERPOL as illustrative examples. In Eswatini, authorities arrested 82 individuals operating a network engaged in illegal gambling, money laundering, and impersonation fraud; the group impersonated Brazilian Federal Police on video calls to convince victims to transfer funds for 'safekeeping,' and investigators seized 240 electronic devices along with a replica Brazilian police station prop. In Singapore and Oman, INTERPOL's I-GRIP mechanism was used to block a $6.6 million wire transfer linked to a BEC attack targeting a commodity trading firm. In Macao, a $372,000 loss was prevented when investigators identified a victim being manipulated by scammers posing as government officials. In Palau, 22 individuals were deported after allegedly operating scam centers from hotel facilities, using cryptocurrency and illegal gambling platforms to reach victims internationally. These cases collectively illustrate the multinational nature of the criminal networks targeted and the diversity of fraud typologies involved.","heading":"Notable Country-Level Cases","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Security Affairs — INTERPOL Operation First Light Nets 5,811 Arrests and Seizes $293 Million","type":"news_article","url":"https://securityaffairs.com/195056/security/interpol-operation-first-light-nets-5811-arrests-and-seizes-293-million.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Crypto Times — INTERPOL Busts Global Scams: 5,811 Arrested, $293M Crypto & Cash Seized","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptotimes.io/2026/07/09/interpol-busts-global-scams-5811-arrested-293m-crypto-cash-seized/"}]},{"content":"Romance scams — sometimes referred to in law enforcement contexts as 'pig butchering' due to the practice of cultivating a victim relationship before systematically extracting funds — were a primary target typology of Operation First Light 2026. In these schemes, criminal operators typically establish prolonged online relationships with targets over weeks or months via social media, dating platforms, or messaging applications, then redirect targets toward fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platforms. Victims are shown simulated returns and persuaded to deposit increasing amounts before the platform disappears or withdrawals are blocked. The Thailand case is consistent with this pattern: romance scam proceeds were collected by victim-facing operators and then routed through a cryptocurrency wallet controlled by an alleged money mule or launderer, with cross-chain swaps employed to prevent asset recovery. INTERPOL has not disclosed whether the 20-year-old Thai suspect was a primary operator of the romance scam network or a downstream money laundering intermediary.","heading":"Romance Scam and Pig Butchering Context","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Decrypt — A 20-Year-Old's Crypto Wallet Moved $123M in Romance-Scam Cash: Interpol Says","type":"news_article","url":"https://decrypt.co/373107/a-20-year-olds-crypto-wallet-moved-123m-in-romance-scam-cash-interpol-says"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CoinPaprika — A 20-Year-Old Moved $122.5 Million as INTERPOL's Fraud Sweep Netted 5,811 Arrests","type":"news_article","url":"https://coinpaprika.com/news/20-year-old-moved-1225-million-interpol/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"BeInCrypto — Global INTERPOL Crackdown Exposes Crypto Laundering Behind Romance Scams","type":"news_article","url":"https://beincrypto.com/interpol-crypto-romance-scam-122m/"}]},{"content":"Operation First Light 2026 was organized and coordinated by INTERPOL's Financial Crimes unit. Primary funding was provided by China's Ministry of Public Security, which has co-sponsored the First Light series since its inception. Supporting coordination came from ASEANAPOL (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations National Police), GCCPOL (the Gulf Cooperation Council Police), and Europol. The involvement of China's Ministry of Public Security as primary funder has not generated documented controversy in coverage reviewed; however, observers in the broader security policy community have noted that China's active role in funding INTERPOL anti-fraud operations warrants transparency, given China's own track record on data sharing and transnational policing. No court filings, regulatory findings, or government reports raising concerns about the funding arrangement have been identified as of July 2026.","heading":"Coordination Structure and Funding","severity":"low","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Infosecurity Magazine — Chinese-Funded Interpol Cybercrime Crackdown Leads to 5,800 Arrests","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/china-interpol-cybercrime-crackdown/"},{"credibility":3,"name":"QUASA — INTERPOL Operation First Light 2026: 5,811 Arrests Across 97 Countries","type":"news_article","url":"https://quasa.io/media/interpol-operation-first-light-2026-5-811-arrests-across-97-countries"}]},{"content":"Operation First Light 2026 is the latest in a series of annual INTERPOL-coordinated enforcement actions under the First Light banner. Operation First Light 2024, documented on Wikipedia, preceded this iteration and similarly targeted social engineering and fraud networks. The scale of the 2026 operation — 5,811 arrests and $293 million intercepted — represents an increase in scope compared to prior editions, consistent with the documented growth in global crypto-enabled fraud. The 2024 edition's methodology and statistics have been published on Wikipedia and are available for cross-reference.","heading":"Prior First Light Operations","severity":"low","sources":[{"credibility":3,"name":"Wikipedia — Operation First Light 2024","type":"other","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_First_Light_2024"}]}],"sources_used":[{"credibility":1,"name":"INTERPOL Official Press Release — Over 5,800 arrests, USD 293 million intercepted in global fraud bust","type":"official","url":"https://www.interpol.int/en/News-and-Events/News/2026/Over-5-800-arrests-USD-293-million-intercepted-in-global-fraud-bust"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Decrypt — A 20-Year-Old's Crypto Wallet Moved $123M in Romance-Scam Cash: Interpol Says","type":"news_article","url":"https://decrypt.co/373107/a-20-year-olds-crypto-wallet-moved-123m-in-romance-scam-cash-interpol-says"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Briefing — Interpol links $123M crypto wallet to romance scam ring after global crackdown","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptobriefing.com/interpol-123m-crypto-wallet-romance-scam-ring/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CryptoSlate — One crypto wallet tied to a 20-year-old fraudster processed over $122M before Interpol closed in","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptoslate.com/interpol-says-one-wallet-processed-122-5m-in-thailand-as-global-fraud-sweep-nets-5811-arrests/"},{"credibility":1,"name":"The Hacker News — INTERPOL Operation Red Card 2.0 Arrests 651 in African Cybercrime Crackdown","type":"news_article","url":"https://thehackernews.com/2026/02/interpol-operation-red-card-20-arrests.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Cryptopolitan — INTERPOL seizes $293 million, arrests 5,811 in global scam crackdown","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptopolitan.com/interpol-global-scam-crackdown/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Cryptopolitan — Binance dismantles $45M scam ring with Interpol, Afripol in operation Red Card 2.0","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptopolitan.com/binance-dismantle-scam-ring-interpol-afripol/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Security Affairs — INTERPOL Operation First Light Nets 5,811 Arrests and Seizes $293 Million","type":"news_article","url":"https://securityaffairs.com/195056/security/interpol-operation-first-light-nets-5811-arrests-and-seizes-293-million.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Infosecurity Magazine — Chinese-Funded Interpol Cybercrime Crackdown Leads to 5,800 Arrests","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/china-interpol-cybercrime-crackdown/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Help Net Security — 651 arrested, $4.3 million recovered in African cybercrime sweep","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2026/02/20/interpol-operation-red-card-2-0-africa-cybercrime/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Tokenist — Interpol Busts $122.5M Crypto Romance Scam","type":"news_article","url":"https://tokenist.com/operation-first-light-2026-crypto-laundering-arrests-romance-scam/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"BeInCrypto — Global INTERPOL Crackdown Exposes Crypto Laundering Behind Romance Scams","type":"news_article","url":"https://beincrypto.com/interpol-crypto-romance-scam-122m/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CoinPaprika — A 20-Year-Old Moved $122.5 Million as INTERPOL's Fraud Sweep Netted 5,811 Arrests","type":"news_article","url":"https://coinpaprika.com/news/20-year-old-moved-1225-million-interpol/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Daily Hodl — Interpol Operation Exposes $122,000,000 Crypto Wallet in Global Fraud Sweep","type":"news_article","url":"https://dailyhodl.com/2026/07/14/interpol-operation-exposes-122000000-crypto-wallet-in-global-fraud-sweep/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"BitcoinKE — INTERPOL's Operation Red Card 2.0 Strikes Major Blow Against Online and Virtual Assets Scam Networks Across Africa","type":"news_article","url":"https://bitcoinke.io/2026/02/operation-red-card-2/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Economy — Operation Red Card 2.0: Binance Helps Lead 651 Arrests and Recovers $4.3M in Scam Crackdown","type":"news_article","url":"https://crypto-economy.com/operation-red-card-2-0-binance-helps-lead-651-arrests-and-recovers-4-3m-in-scam-crackdown/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto News Flash — Operation First Light 2026 Hits Crypto Launderers, 5,811 Arrested","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.crypto-news-flash.com/operation-first-light-2026-crypto-launderers/"},{"credibility":3,"name":"CryptoNexa — Operation First Light 2026 Nets 5,811 Arrests as Cross-Chain Swaps Beat Payment Freezes","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptonexa.com/operation-first-light-2026-nets-5811-arrests-as-cross-chain-swaps-beat-payment-freezes"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ComplianceHub.Wiki — 5,811 Arrests, $293 Million Intercepted: What Interpol's Operation First Light 2026 Tells Your Fraud and AML Program","type":"research","url":"https://compliancehub.wiki/interpol-operation-first-light-2026-social-engineering-fraud-aml/"},{"credibility":3,"name":"QUASA — INTERPOL Operation First Light 2026: 5,811 Arrests Across 97 Countries","type":"news_article","url":"https://quasa.io/media/interpol-operation-first-light-2026-5-811-arrests-across-97-countries"},{"credibility":3,"name":"Wikipedia — Operation First Light 2024","type":"other","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_First_Light_2024"}],"summary":"Operation First Light 2026 was a coordinated INTERPOL-led law enforcement action spanning 97 countries from January 15 to April 30, 2026, targeting social engineering scams and associated money laundering networks. The operation resulted in 5,811 arrests and the interception of approximately $293 million in illicit assets, with more than 142,000 victims identified globally. A key crypto case involved a 20-year-old suspect in Thailand whose single wallet allegedly processed over $122.5 million in romance-scam proceeds over ten months through cross-chain token swap obfuscation techniques.","timeline":[{"date":"2025-12-08","event":"Operation Red Card 2.0 begins: INTERPOL, AFRIPOL, and Binance launch an 8-week coordinated enforcement action across 16 African nations targeting investment scams, mobile money fraud, and predatory loan applications.","source":"The Hacker News","source_url":"https://thehackernews.com/2026/02/interpol-operation-red-card-20-arrests.html"},{"date":"2026-01-15","event":"Operation First Light 2026 begins: INTERPOL-coordinated enforcement spanning 97 countries targeting social engineering scams and associated money laundering.","source":"INTERPOL Official Press Release","source_url":"https://www.interpol.int/en/News-and-Events/News/2026/Over-5-800-arrests-USD-293-million-intercepted-in-global-fraud-bust"},{"date":"2026-01-30","event":"Operation Red Card 2.0 concludes: 651 arrests made, $4.3 million recovered, 1,442 malicious IPs/domains dismantled, 2,341 devices seized across 16 African countries.","source":"Help Net Security","source_url":"https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2026/02/20/interpol-operation-red-card-2-0-africa-cybercrime/"},{"date":"2026-02-20","event":"INTERPOL and Binance publicly announce Operation Red Card 2.0 results: 651 arrests, $4.3 million recovered, scam rings linked to over $45 million in losses.","source":"The Hacker News","source_url":"https://thehackernews.com/2026/02/interpol-operation-red-card-20-arrests.html"},{"date":"2026-04-30","event":"Operation First Light 2026 operational phase concludes after 3.5 months of coordinated enforcement activity.","source":"INTERPOL Official Press Release","source_url":"https://www.interpol.int/en/News-and-Events/News/2026/Over-5-800-arrests-USD-293-million-intercepted-in-global-fraud-bust"},{"date":"2026-07-09","event":"INTERPOL publicly releases Operation First Light 2026 results: 5,811 arrests, $293 million intercepted, 142,000-plus victims identified across 97 countries.","source":"INTERPOL Official Press Release","source_url":"https://www.interpol.int/en/News-and-Events/News/2026/Over-5-800-arrests-USD-293-million-intercepted-in-global-fraud-bust"},{"date":"2026-07-09","event":"Thailand crypto wallet case disclosed: a 20-year-old suspect's wallet allegedly processed $122.5 million in romance scam proceeds over ten months via cross-chain token swaps; two arrests made by Thai police.","source":"Decrypt","source_url":"https://decrypt.co/373107/a-20-year-olds-crypto-wallet-moved-123m-in-romance-scam-cash-interpol-says"},{"date":"2026-07-10","event":"Multiple crypto media outlets report on the cross-chain laundering methodology revealed in the Thailand case, noting the gap between I-GRIP's real-time freeze capability and cross-chain swap speed.","source":"Crypto Briefing","source_url":"https://cryptobriefing.com/interpol-123m-crypto-wallet-romance-scam-ring/"}]},"v":1}

   Verify offline (run on your own machine)

   python -m src.verify_decision e5e95f19-d811-4b02-a68a-fd1cc1e03bfbcopy