criminal activities Archives

AppWizard

February 21, 2025

New Next-Gen GTA Online Update For PC Release Date Confirmed By Rockstar

Rockstar Games has announced that the next-gen update of GTA V and GTA Online for PC will be released on March 4th. This update will be free for existing owners of GTA V on PC and includes enhancements such as new vehicles, upgraded graphics, ray tracing capabilities, and faster loading times. Players will also be able to transfer their Story Mode and GTA Online progress. The update features new vehicles, including the Coil Cyclone II and Imponte Arbiter GT, and requires specific hardware for optimal performance. Ongoing support for the original version of GTA V and GTA Online will continue, allowing players with lower-spec systems to receive updates.

AppWizard

December 24, 2024

Controversial messaging app Telegram is profitable, says its founder. Here’s how it makes money.

Encrypted messaging service Telegram has achieved profitability after 11 years of operation, with revenue surpassing billion in 2024 and cash reserves of 0 million. CEO Pavel Durov attributed this success to advertising and premium subscriptions. The company introduced initiatives like a revenue-sharing model for content creators and a premium subscription tier priced at .99 per month. Telegram has reduced its billion debt and noted a significant turnaround from the previous year, when it reported a loss of million on revenues of million. Despite its financial success, the platform faces global scrutiny over misinformation and limited content moderation, with bans in several countries and a history of being prohibited in Russia from 2018 to 2020.

AppWizard

December 23, 2024

Telegram founder says messaging app profitable for first time

Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Telegram, announced that the platform achieved a net profit for the first time in 2024, with annual revenues exceeding one billion dollars. Telegram has over 950 million users and has shifted to a monetization model that includes paid subscriptions and advertisements since 2021, resulting in a tripling of premium service subscribers to 12 million. The company has cash reserves exceeding 0 million, excluding cryptocurrency assets. Durov faced legal issues in France related to content management but criticized the authorities' approach. Telegram is using artificial intelligence for content moderation to address misuse, while asserting that 99.999 percent of its users do not engage in criminal activities.

AppWizard

October 15, 2024

Here’s 5+ Games You Should Try During Steam Next Fest

The Steam Next Fest for October 2024 has launched, featuring numerous demos for upcoming PC games. Five standout games highlighted include: 1. Delta Force: A tactical first-person shooter by TiMi Studios, offering four Havoc Warfare modes across two maps, with an extraction mode on three maps, featuring 45 weapons and 9 vehicles. 2. The Precinct: Developed by Fallen Tree, this game allows players to act as a rookie cop in the fictional city of Averno, responding to various criminal activities with sandbox gameplay elements. 3. AI Limit: The debut game from Sense Games, set in a post-apocalyptic world, featuring a two-hour demo with elite enemies, boss battles, and exploration rewards. 4. Unreal Engine 5 Strategy Game: Inspired by Bernard Werber, this real-time strategy game includes a 20-hour campaign and multiplayer modes, focusing on economy building and unit management. 5. New Arc Line: A cRPG from Dreamate Games, allowing players to choose between two classes and races, set in the Harbour Slums amidst the Iron Plague epidemic. Additional five bonus picks were mentioned but not detailed.

AppWizard

September 25, 2024

Telegram will now provide some user data to authorities

Telegram will comply with legal requests from authorities, including providing users' IP addresses and phone numbers when presented with valid search warrants, as announced by CEO Pavel Durov. This decision aims to deter criminal activities on the platform. Durov acknowledged that while most of Telegram's nearly one billion users are law-abiding, a small fraction involved in illicit activities affects the platform's reputation. Following Durov's detention by French authorities over allegations related to criminal activities on Telegram, he criticized the authorities for holding him accountable for third-party actions. Critics have raised concerns about the platform's expansive group feature and its association with misinformation and illegal content. Ukraine has banned the app on state-issued devices to mitigate threats from Russia. Durov's arrest has led to discussions about free speech protections online and concerns about the platform's cooperation with authoritarian governments. Telegram plans to enhance its content moderation efforts using artificial intelligence, but experts express skepticism about whether this will meet legal requirements.

AppWizard

September 21, 2024

Arrests in Canada part of global takedown of criminal messaging app: police – National | Globalnews.ca

Australian police have successfully infiltrated the encrypted communications app Ghost, leading to the arrest of 38 individuals across four states and the disruption of various criminal networks. The alleged mastermind, Jay Je Yoon Jung, 32, has been charged with supporting a criminal organization and profiting from criminal activities, and he will remain in custody until his next court appearance in November. The app has been used by various criminal groups for illegal drug importation and violent acts. Since March, police have monitored over 125,000 messages and 120 video calls, preventing 50 potential incidents of serious harm. Jung developed the Ghost app in 2017 for criminal enterprises, and a global task force targeting it began in 2022, involving agencies such as the FBI and RCMP. Jung allegedly operated a network providing specialized smartphones to criminals, priced at 2,350 Australian dollars, which included a subscription to Ghost.

AppWizard

September 20, 2024

Encrypted ‘Ghost’ App: What We Know

Authorities have dismantled the encrypted chat application Ghost, which was used by criminal networks globally. Launched in 2021, Ghost required users to purchase customized devices for access, ensuring anonymity. It operated with three encryption standards, allowing users to erase messages and reset devices. The app’s servers were located in Iceland and France, with its founder in Australia and financial transactions traced to the United States. Ghost had several thousand users, exchanging around 1,000 messages daily, and was exclusively associated with criminal enterprises, facilitating drug trafficking, weapons dealing, violence, and money laundering. The operation resulted in the arrest of 51 individuals, primarily in Australia, and is part of a trend of law enforcement dismantling encrypted platforms like EncroChat and Sky ECC. Despite these successes, the landscape of encrypted communication remains fragmented, with major services like WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram still in use. Law enforcement emphasizes the need for access to communications among criminals while balancing user privacy.

AppWizard

September 19, 2024

How the AFP cracked criminal messaging app ‘Ghost’

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) launched Operation Kraken, mobilizing up to 700 officers for coordinated raids targeting a 32-year-old man, Jay Je Yoon Jung, alleged to have created an encrypted communication platform called 'Ghost' used by organized crime. The operation involved pre-dawn raids, with a focus on Jung's residence in Narwee, Sydney, where flashbangs were used. Jung faces serious charges, including supporting a criminal organization and dealing in identification information. The Ghost app, marketed as 'tamper-proof', attracted criminal clients such as the Hell's Angels. The AFP has monitored over 125,000 messages on the platform, resulting in 46 arrests and the prevention of 50 threats to life. They seized over 210 kilograms of illicit drugs, 26 weapons, and million in cash during the operation. The AFP's technical team developed methods to access devices linked to Ghost, enabling them to gather real-time intelligence. Operation Kraken follows the successful Operation Ironside against another encrypted messaging platform, ANOM, enhancing the AFP's capability to combat organized crime and share intelligence internationally.

AppWizard

September 19, 2024

Global police sting topples ‘Ghost’ criminal messaging app

Australian and international police have dismantled an encrypted communications platform called "Ghost," used by criminal gangs for drug trafficking, money laundering, and violent crimes. The operation resulted in 51 arrests, with 38 in Australia. The servers of Ghost were located in France and Iceland, and its creators were identified in Australia, with financial ties to the U.S. The primary suspect, a 32-year-old Australian citizen, was arrested for creating and administering Ghost since its launch in 2017. Users acquired modified smartphones for approximately 2,350 Australian dollars, which included a six-month subscription and tech support. Europol estimates thousands of individuals used Ghost, exchanging around 1,000 messages daily. Law enforcement infiltrated the network in spring 2022, enabling them to prevent numerous violent incidents and save 50 potential victims. The operation involved nine countries and led to the dismantling of a drug lab in Australia, as well as the seizure of weapons, drugs, and over €1 million in cash.

AppWizard

September 18, 2024

Criminal messaging app Ghost shut down in global police sting | The National

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) arrested a suspect linked to the Ghost messaging app, known for its unhackable features and use among criminals. This operation highlights the AFP's efforts to combat cybercrime through strategic actions against encrypted communication platforms. The arrest may influence how law enforcement agencies globally approach similar technologies and raise questions about the future of encrypted messaging apps in criminal activities.