Business
FTX Used Identities of Thai Se Workers to Access $1Billion in Frozen Crypto

Prosecutors looked at testimony from former Alameda Research ‘chief executive officer’ Caroline Ellison as part of their investigation into FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, whose global enterprise involved the quick movement of money and cryptocurrency.
Ellison testified that she had attempted to access frozen funds on the cryptocurrency exchanges Huobi (now HTX) and OKEx (now OKEx) by opening accounts using the identities of “Thai prostitutes.” The plan finally fell through.
The over-the-counter (OTC) trading desk Genesis Block, based in Hong Kong, was another part of Bankman-Fried’s financial empire with connections to Thailand.
In the Bankman-Fried empire, Genesis Block is best recognised as the location where people lined up with bags full of cash to buy cryptocurrency.
According to reports, the desk is “integrated” with either FTX or Alameda Research; in fact, the Genesis Block website states, “Alameda Research will also provide the technology that acts as the backbone for Genesis Block’s new OTC portal.”
Clement Ip, one of the desk’s original founders, served on the board of directors of FTX Hong Kong.
FTX Links to Thailand
The FTX bankruptcy has also uncovered a “Digital Assets Accounts Control Agreement Dated 11/3/2020” between Genesis Block Limited and an FTX Group business, as well as a “Loan Agreement Dated 12/10/2021” between the two.
Genesis Block’s presence in Thailand is one of the company’s less publicised facts, but it was not hidden and was announced on the official website. Block Mountain conference-goers in Thailand who stopped by the Thank You Party hosted by Genesis Block Thailand and FTX might have even gotten a hint about the connection.
Since the Thai office’s website appears to be a poorly implemented copy of the main Hong Kong website, it is difficult to determine the full activities beyond sponsorship of events in Thailand. However, LinkedIn pages suggest that the focus was more explicitly on “educational talks and meetups” than the main Hong Kong-based office.
A former Genesis Block partner may have provided a hint when he or she revealed that the company used dozens of “satellite” bank accounts to facilitate the transfer of payments. Charles Yang, partner and lead trader at Genesis Block, acknowledged that this is “a very grey area.”
Genesis Block has always benefited from Yang’s wide network of contacts; his bio on the company website calls him “a Hong Kong-bred Korean,” and adds, “Charles leveraged his multicultural background as he built his network with Korean corporations and institutions.”
According to the evidence, the [email protected] account is the famed ‘Korean buddy’ account, and it just so happens that FTX relied on an account affiliated with a ‘Charles’ for its activities.
Relationships with Chinese OTC traders
The interesting nature of this connection is heightened by the fact that Yang has been introduced as a “principal” of Alameda Research at a number of different events.
It’s unclear whether or not Genesis Block Thailand was utilised by FTX and Alameda Research to maintain the network of bank accounts described by their Korean acquaintance, or how much reliance each company had on the other.
Wincent Hung, founder of Genesis Block, serves as director of several related companies. These include China Genesis Block Limited, Genesis Block Limited, and Genesis Block OTC Limited. According to his bio, he has “strong relationships with Chinese OTC traders.”
On Wednesday, a forensic accountant in Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial attempted to determine what happened to the missing $9 billion from FTX customers’ accounts. The bookkeeper responded, “Oh, yes,” when asked if FTX had ever stolen customer money.
According to CoinDesk on Thursday, an expert witness named by the prosecution, University of Notre Dame accounting professor Peter Easton, testified that user payments were used to reinvest in businesses and real estate, make political contributions, and donate to charity.
Easton emphasises many key transactions in which SBF participated but client money were necessary for completion. As far back as an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos in November 2022, the FTX founder flatly denied knowing “that there was any improper use of customer funds.”
Genesis Digital Assets
In June of 2022, when Alameda Research was supposedly holding $11.3 billion in customer funds, FTX actually only had $2.3 billion in its bank accounts. As early as March 2021, Easton discovered consumer money were no longer guaranteed.
According to Easton, clients’ money went to SkyBridge Capital, led by Anthony Scaramucci, and Modulo Capital, led by Lily Zhang. In March of 2023, Modulo Capital explained the wrongful transfer of $404 million to FTX. Also, FTX consumers may not have realised they helped finance a $550 million investment in Genesis Digital Assets, a cryptocurrency mining company.
Aditya Baradwaj, a former employee of Alameda Research, revealed the true extent of SBF’s $133 million in political donations throughout the trial. In addition to donating millions to both the Republican and Democratic super PACs and other organisations, SBF also gave his father, Joseph Bankman, $10 million.
Nishad Singh, Head of Engineering at FTX, testified earlier in the week that he felt “betrayed” by SBF. Singh claims he is mostly to blame, and his testimony supports the prosecution’s case that SBF was the real mastermind behind the FTX fraud. Two months before the rest of the world, Singh discovered the deception, but he stayed to attempt to preserve the ship.
I couldn’t bear the thought of having caused an avoidable downfall by leaving. What Singh testified to in court.
During his last several months at FTX, the head of engineering had concerns about the company’s finances. The “wrong question,” SBF responded to Singh’s inquiry about the company’s deficit, was “how can we deliver?”
The original version of this article was first published in Prontos.

Business
PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.

(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.
This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.
Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.
Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.
The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.
Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.
Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.
The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.
Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.
Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.
Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.
Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.
Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”
Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.
The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.
Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.
The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.
Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”
Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.
The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.
Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.
The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:
SOURCE: CNBC
SEE ALSO:
Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.
Business
Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.
This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.
For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.
This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.
Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”
This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.
This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.
Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.
Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.
Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.
This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.
It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.
Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”
This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.
We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.
Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.
SOURCE: THBL
SEE ALSO:
American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
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Business
American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.
American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.
According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
SOURCE | AP
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