Bitcoin price stuck near $110K, XPL bucks market downturn with 19% rally  Invezz
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Feds seize $15 billion in bitcoin after busting alleged global crypto scam  CBS News
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by RAY LEWIS | The National News Desk
TOPICS:
HUNT VALLEY, Md. (TNND) — The Department of Justice (DOJ) sued Tuesday to confiscate about $15 billion worth of bitcoin, the largest forfeiture action in the DOJ’s history.
New York federal prosecutors and the DOJ’s National Security Division filed a civil forfeiture complaint against the funds, which are the alleged proceeds and instruments of fraud and money laundering schemes directed by a Cambodian businessman.
The bitcoin, which total over 127,000, are now in the federal government’s custody, the DOJ said.
They were allegedly accessed through private crypto “wallets” with keys in the possession of the businessman, Chen Zhi. He is a Cambodian conglomerate chairman whom U.S. prosecutors accuse of laundering crypto to hide its source. Chen directed associates of the conglomerate, Prince Holding Group, to conceal the sources of its profits, which the DOJ claims are victims in New York City and other places across the world, according to prosecutors.
“As alleged, the defendant directed one of the largest investment fraud operations in history, fueling an illicit industry that is reaching epidemic proportions,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York said in a statement.

Chen allegedly orchestrated Prince Holding Group’s profits through Cambodian compounds that carried out crypto investment schemes. The DOJ said that hundreds of workers, who were trafficked into the facilities against their will, executed the scams by convincing victims to transfer crypto to accounts controlled by the conglomerate. The workers promised the victims their funds would be invested and would generate profits, but the crypto was actually stolen and laundered, prosecutors claimed.
“This is an individual who allegedly operated a vast criminal network across multiple continents involving forced labor, money laundering, investment schemes, and stolen assets – targeting millions of innocent victims in the process,” FBI Director Kash Patel said, referring to Chen. “Justice will be done and I’m proud of the men and women of the FBI who executed this mission faithfully.”
The alleged scam workers in the compounds often developed relationships with victims through messaging or social media apps.
The DOJ claimed they operated under violent threats while in the facilities, which were surrounded by high walls and barbed wire. Some of the scammers were subjected to torture and were beat, which Chen knew of, according to prosecutors. He allegedly kept records of each compound, including photos of violence committed against the workers.
“Today’s action represents one of the most significant strikes ever against the global scourge of human trafficking and cyber-enabled financial fraud,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a joint statement.

The DOJ noted that Chen and other Prince Holding Group executives used their political influence in multiple foreign countries to protect their scheme, bribing public officials to avoid law enforcement.
Chen also used some profits for luxury travel and entertainment and to buy private jets, yachts, vacation homes, watches, collectables and a Pablo Picasso painting. The chairman, who is facing conspiracy charges for wire fraud and money laundering, would face at most 40 years in prison if he is convicted. He was at large as of Tuesday.

The Department of the Treasury has also sanctioned Chen and designated Prince Holding Group as a transnational criminal organization.
Have questions, concerns or tips? Send them to Ray at rjlewis@sbgtv.com.

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1. Trump’s troop pay move is a ‘temporary fix,’ Johnson says  Politico
2. Is it legal to use R&D money to pay troops during shutdown?  Federal News Network
3. Johnson dares Democrats to challenge Trump’s move to pay military  The Hill
4. Amid government shutdown, military families might not get paid starting Wednesday  Colorado Public Radio
5. Are military members getting paid on Oct. 15? Here’s what we know  USA Today

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LVFD and LPD announces Halloween trick or treating opportunities and safety tips  County 10
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WASHINGTON — The conservative-majority Supreme Court on Wednesday considered whether to eviscerate a key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act in a congressional redistricting case from Louisiana.
The justices, who expanded the scope of the case over the summer, heard oral arguments on whether states can ever consider race in drawing new districts while seeking to comply with Section 2 of the 1965 law, which was enacted against a backdrop of historic racial discrimination to protect minority voters.
The long-running dispute concerns the congressional map that Louisiana was required to redraw last year after being sued under the Voting Rights Act to ensure that there were two majority-Black districts. The original map only had one such district in a state where a third of the population is Black.
The Supreme Court originally heard the case earlier this year on a narrower set of legal issues but, in a rare move, it asked in June for the parties to reargue it. The court then raised the stakes by asking the lawyers to focus on a larger constitutional issue.
Now, the justices are deciding whether drawing a map to ensure there are majority-Black districts violates the Constitution’s 14th and 15th amendments, which were both enacted after the Civil War to ensure equal rights for former slaves, including the right to vote.
Conservatives argue that both constitutional amendments prohibit consideration of race at any time. The Supreme Court has previously embraced this “colorblind” interpretation of the Constitution, most notably in its 2023 ruling that ended the consideration of race in college admissions.
Louisiana, which initially defended its new map, has switched sides and joined a group of self-identified “non-African-American” voters who sued to block it on constitutional grounds. The Trump administration also backs the state’s new position.
The map is being defended by civil rights groups that challenged the original map.
The Voting Rights Act has long been a target of conservative legal attacks, with the Supreme Court weakening it in two major rulings in 2013 and 2021.
But two years ago, the court surprisingly reaffirmed the requirement that race be used to redraw districts when necessary to comply with the law in a different congressional redistricting case from Alabama.
The ruling was 5-4, with two conservatives, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, joining the court’s three liberals in the majority. Kavanaugh, however, expressed reservations about the long-term future of Section 2.
A broad ruling in Louisiana’s favor would reduce the need for states to draw legislative districts composed largely of minority groups and would likely lead to a reduction in the number of minority lawmakers in Congress and state legislatures.
A quick ruling could give Louisiana and other states time to draw new districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. With Black voters often voting Democratic, such a move could benefit Republicans.
Lawrence Hurley is a senior Supreme Court reporter for NBC News.
© 2025 NBCUniversal Media, LLC

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BUY/SELL GOLD & SILVER
All Metal Quotes
Featuring views and opinions written by market professionals, not staff journalists.

Bitcoin Technical Analysis

Despite a narrow daily close within the TBO Cloud, Bitcoin has held its 4-hour TBO support and is showing a rising RSI, indicating growing momentum. Short-term volume on the daily chart has outperformed its moving average since the 5th, underscoring institutional participation.
Traders are watching for a classic bump-and-run breakout above overhead resistance. While no bearish signals have printed on the 4-hour yet, the emergence of bearish divergences or TBO Close Longs could occur if price challenges resistance again today.

Ethereum Positioning and Dominance Metrics

Ethereum recovered strongly from the 0.786 Fib level, retreating only to $3,900 on its latest pullback and already tagging its daily TBO Fast line—something Bitcoin has yet to achieve. ETH still requires roughly an 8% advance to breach near-term resistance.
In dominance metrics, ETH/BTC remains in bearish consolidation within the daily TBO Cloud but has recovered from Friday’s liquidation. Combined stablecoin dominance at 6.76% above the cloud suggests capital is sitting on the sidelines; we anticipate this figure will descend toward 5% over the next month, coinciding with a new Bitcoin all-time high.
Market Capitalization and Pair Reversals

The total market cap excluding Bitcoin, Ethereum and stablecoins is signaling a potential altcoin resurgence, with a fourth TBO Close Short emerging on the 4-hour chart. Likewise, OTHERS/BTC printed a second TBO Close Short, suggesting broader market cap may outperform Bitcoin in the near term.
On pair charts, SOL/ETH has printed three 4-hour TBO Close Shorts even after a bearish break below the daily cloud; a return into cloud territory and above resistance would confirm a shift in dominance toward SOL.
TradFi and Macroeconomic Overview

Fed Chairman Powell’s dovish pivot toward QE has buoyed S&P futures, DJI, and NDX, while the DXY remains in bullish consolidation inside its daily TBO Cloud despite a 4-hour TBO Close Long hinting at near-term weakness. The U.S.–China tariff skirmish has spooked NVDA, and Tesla’s daily chart registered a bearish divergence cluster, though the VIX’s drop below 20 and a rebound in the Nikkei suggest risk sentiment is stabilizing.
Commodities: Oil and Gold

WTI crude has broken down toward its daily TBO support, signaling potential volatility if a bounce does not materialize. In contrast, Gold continues its advance, now trading above $4,200, reinforcing its safe-haven demand amid macro uncertainty.
Altcoin Highlights

Among altcoins, BNB’s second daily bearish divergence contrasts with sustained volume inflows, while SOL registers a 4-hour TBO Close Short beneath resistance. TRX, XLM and AVAX display bullish divergences on the 4-hour timeframe, whereas AAVE, ALGO, CRV and LDO have printed recent TBO Close Shorts. TAO and PENGU show bearish RSI and volume signals, while KAS, SEI, INJ, PUMP, ZORA, ZEN and XPL exhibit various bullish reversal indicators.
Overall, altcoins are forming mixed setups, but a decisive Bitcoin breakout above resistance would likely catalyze a broader market advance.
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After months of decline, Pi Coin is fighting to stay afloat, currently hovering around $0.2368, with daily trading volumes slipping below $30 million. Once hailed as a revolutionary community-driven project boasting a market cap exceeding $17 billion, Pi has now shed nearly 90% of its value. All eyes are now on the upcoming Protocol 23 upgrade, which many believe could serve as the catalyst Pi needs to regain its footing.
Pi Coin Price Hits New All-Time Low
The Pi Network’s price slump stems primarily from weak demand and minimal on-chain activity. Community members on X have expressed growing dissatisfaction, accusing the team of slow progress, centralized control, and unfulfilled promises. One supporter bluntly stated:
“Demand is extremely down, and the on-chain usage of Pi is poor.”
Bearish sentiment has intensified, with some traders warning that Pi could tumble to $0.10 if decisive action is not taken soon. Low liquidity and a lack of developer transparency have added pressure, leaving investors anxiously awaiting signs of revival.
Pi Network Mainnet Upgrade
The upcoming Protocol 23 upgrade could mark a major turning point for the Pi ecosystem. Currently in testing, the upgrade is expected to go live on the mainnet by late Q4 2025 or early Q1 2026. 
According to Pi community expert Dr. Altcoin, the upgrade, aligned with Stellar Core v23.0.1, aims to enhance scalability, efficiency, and security.
Dr. Altcoin emphasized: “The Pi Core Team takes a slow but right approach, prioritizing precision and reliability over rushed execution.”
The update will also introduce Decentralized Finance (DeFi) features, including a Decentralized Exchange (DEX) and an Automated Market Maker (AMM). Users will be able to trade tokens, create liquidity pools, and test DeFi functionalities in a secure testnet environment before the mainnet rollout.
Despite optimism surrounding the technical upgrades, experts like Dr. Altcoin caution that technical improvements alone won’t resolve Pi’s liquidity crisis. He urges the Pi Core Team to consider measures such as token buybacks or coin burns to strengthen Pi’s tokenomics and restore investor confidence. Without these actions, he warned:
“The network’s price recovery may remain out of reach.”
Signs of Potential Recovery in Pi Coin Price
There are still some encouraging signs. The next token unlock is expected to release fewer coins under 120 million Pi, which could reduce selling pressure. Additionally, 2.5 million Pi tokens have recently been moved off exchanges into self-custody wallets, suggesting that holders may be preparing for the long term.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) for Pi has also dropped to 24, indicating the token is oversold and could be due for a short-term rebound. If the Protocol 23 upgrade delivers on its promises, Pi may finally gain the momentum needed to climb out of its slump.
FAQs
Protocol 23, based on Stellar Core v23.0.1, launches late Q4 2025 or early 2026, adding DeFi tools like a DEX and AMM to boost scalability, security, and trading efficiency.
Oversold RSI at 24 signals a bounce; smaller token unlocks under 120M Pi cut selling pressure, plus 2.5M Pi moved to self-custody hint at holder confidence.
Pi’s at a bargain but risky—watch for upgrade success and team actions on tokenomics. If DeFi sparks real usage, it could rebound; otherwise, brace for more volatility.
Select market data provided by ICE Data Services. Select reference data provided by FactSet. Copyright © 2025 FactSet Research Systems Inc.Copyright © 2025, American Bankers Association. CUSIP Database provided by FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. SEC fillings and other documents provided by Quartr.© 2025 TradingView, Inc.

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XRP Price Prediction: Ripple Tests $2.60 as Monad Expands, AlphaPepe Becomes the Top Retail Investor Choice  Cryptopolitan
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Illicit VSCode extensions seek to pilfer cryptocurrency  SC Media
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