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Spanish police arrest six over $20M AI-powered investment scam

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Spanish authorities have shut down a sophisticated investment scam that used artificial intelligence to defraud victims of more than $20 million. The operation, which spanned multiple countries, lured investors with promises of high returns through a fake AI-driven trading platform.

The National Police arrested four individuals and identified 14 others linked to the scheme, which used aggressive marketing tactics and fake online platforms to simulate trading activity. Victims were shown fabricated profits generated by what was advertised as an advanced AI algorithm capable of outperforming the market.

Once trust was established, the scammers convinced users to invest larger sums, only to block access to their funds when withdrawal requests were made. Authorities revealed that the network operated through a network of shell companies and call centers, targeting victims across Spain and other European countries.

The investigation uncovered nearly 300 victims, though officials believe the real number could be significantly higher. Spanish police worked in coordination with international agencies to trace the scam’s financial flows and dismantle its digital infrastructure.

This takedown highlights growing concerns over AI being exploited in financial frauds and the increasing need for cross-border collaboration to combat tech-enabled scams.

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Metaplanet now holds more Bitcoin than El Salvador

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Japanese investment firm Metaplanet has overtaken El Salvador in Bitcoin holdings, now possessing 6,796 BTC valued at approximately $707 million. This milestone follows Metaplanet’s recent acquisition of 1,241 BTC at an average price of ¥14.8 million ($101,843) per coin, marking its largest single purchase to date.

Since initiating its Bitcoin accumulation strategy in April 2024, Metaplanet has rapidly expanded its holdings, achieving an average purchase price of $91,000 per BTC. The firm’s aggressive approach includes a significant acquisition of 5,555 BTC on May 7, along with multiple purchases in April and March totaling over 37,000 BTC.

El Salvador, previously recognized for its national Bitcoin reserve, currently holds 6,714 BTC worth around $642 million. Metaplanet’s surpassing of this figure underscores its commitment to integrating Bitcoin into its corporate treasury strategy.

Metaplanet’s stock (3350.T) has experienced a substantial increase, reflecting investor confidence in its Bitcoin-centric approach. The firm reports a Bitcoin Yield—a metric indicating the percentage change in BTC holdings per fully diluted share—of 38% for the current quarter, following a 95.6% yield in Q1 2025.

As of now, Bitcoin (BTC) is trading at approximately $103,920, with a slight increase of 0.00053% from the previous close. The intraday high and low are $104,923 and $103,445, respectively.

Metaplanet’s strategic positioning places it as the largest corporate Bitcoin holder in Asia and the tenth largest globally, highlighting the growing trend of institutional adoption of cryptocurrency as a treasury asset.

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Ledger secures Discord after hacker bot tried to steal seed phrases

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Ledger, the hardware wallet provider, has confirmed that its Discord server is once again secure after a security breach on May 11. An attacker compromised a moderator’s account, using it to post phishing links designed to trick users into revealing their seed phrases on a fraudulent website.

Quintin Boatwright, a member of Ledger’s team, stated that the issue was swiftly addressed. The compromised account was removed, the malicious bot was deleted, the phishing website was reported, and all relevant permissions were reviewed and secured. Despite these measures, some community members reported that the attacker exploited moderator privileges to ban and mute users attempting to report the breach, potentially delaying Ledger’s response.

The hacker, posing as a Ledger community manager, informed users of a fictitious vulnerability in Ledger’s security systems and urged them to verify their recovery phrases via a scam link. Users were prompted to connect their wallets and follow on-screen instructions, which could have led to the compromise of their funds.

This incident follows a series of phishing attempts targeting Ledger users. In April, scammers mailed physical letters to Ledger hardware wallet owners, requesting them to validate their private seed phrases. These letters, bearing Ledger’s logo and business address, asked users to scan a QR code and enter their recovery phrases, aiming to access and empty their wallets.

The recent breach underscores the persistent threats facing the crypto community and the importance of vigilance against phishing attacks.

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Microsoft and OpenAI renegotiate investment deal

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Microsoft and OpenAI are currently engaged in discussions to revise the terms of their multibillion-dollar partnership. The renegotiation aims to align with OpenAI’s strategic shift towards establishing a public benefit corporation, while ensuring Microsoft’s continued access to OpenAI’s advanced AI technologies beyond the existing agreement, which extends through 2030.

Since 2019, Microsoft has invested over $13 billion into OpenAI, securing rights to integrate OpenAI’s models into its products and a share in the company’s revenues. Under the proposed new terms, Microsoft may consider reducing its equity stake in exchange for extended access to OpenAI’s technologies beyond the current contractual period. Additionally, OpenAI plans to decrease the revenue share allocated to Microsoft from the existing 20% to 10% by the end of the decade.

This restructuring follows OpenAI’s decision to abandon its earlier plan to convert into a purely for-profit entity. Instead, the company is transitioning to a public benefit corporation model, which allows for profit-making while being legally obligated to prioritize social good. This move has faced criticism from figures like Elon Musk, who argue that it deviates from OpenAI’s original mission to develop open-source AI for the benefit of humanity.

Despite the ongoing negotiations and differing perspectives, both Microsoft and OpenAI maintain a collaborative relationship. Microsoft continues to integrate OpenAI’s technologies into its offerings, while OpenAI benefits from Microsoft’s substantial computational resources. The outcome of these discussions is anticipated to significantly influence the future trajectory of AI development and commercialization.

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