Shocking news: Nicolás Maduro – captured by US forces on 3 January 2026 – allegedly used **USDT stablecoins** to sell sanctioned oil, launder via mixers, and hoard up to **600,000 BTC** (rumoured shadow reserve worth £45-50 billion at current ~£70,000-75,000 per BTC prices).
The scheme in simple steps:
– Sell oil bypassing sanctions → Receive USDT
– Launder through crypto mixers
– Swap to cold-storage Bitcoin
– Hide billions in “missing” revenues
**Unverified rumours** are swirling post-capture, but this highlights exactly how crypto enables sanctions evasion.
**Key lesson for UK retail banking compliance:**
Stablecoins aren’t just for traders – they’re real-world tools for circumvention. With FCA pushing stablecoin rules, cases like this show why strong AML, sanctions screening, and crypto monitoring are essential **now**.
Upgrade your systems to spot these flows. 🚨
Watch the full breakdown on our YouTube channel (link in bio) – why this changes everything for FinCrime teams.
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