NCI

Apr 03 2026FINANCE

What’s really holding back crypto rules in the US?

A dispute over digital money could stall new financial regulations. A proposed bill tried to set clear rules for crypto exchanges, tokens, and storage by dividing the work between the SEC and CFTC. But the plan ran into four major roadblocks. First, some lawmakers and big crypto companies still wan

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Apr 03 2026CRIME

How a Fake Security Alert Led to a Major Crypto Recovery

In 2025, a Connecticut resident lost a huge sum of cryptocurrency after falling for what looked like an official security notice. The message claimed their Ledger device—a small gadget used to store crypto—needed an urgent update. But the letter was a scam. When the victim followed the instructions,

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Apr 03 2026FINANCE

Money Mismanagement at Local Wealth Firm Leaves Clients High and Dry

A financial advisor in Longmeadow allegedly ran what looks like a classic scam, using client money for personal luxuries instead of investments. The U. S. regulator says John Brodacki III took $1. 8 million from at least 18 clients—mostly retirees—over several years. His estate now faces legal actio

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Apr 03 2026POLITICS

Behind the Numbers: How Mukilteo’s Financial Reporting Hit a Bump

Mukilteo’s city hall faced a bumpy ride with its financial paperwork last year. Instead of handing over its 2023 money records to state auditors by the end of May, the city took an extra seven months—a delay of 221 days. Staff changes got the blame. A lot of people left the finance team around 2022,

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Apr 02 2026SCIENCE

Measles Re‑emerges: Scientists Track 1, 000 Viral Genomes

The CDC has released its first set of measles genome data, showing how the virus spread across the U. S. last year. Scientists expect more data soon, which will help decide if the country has lost its measles‑free status. The CDC held back the information for months while it dealt with staff cuts

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Apr 02 2026BUSINESS

Big publishers feel the pinch when cash runs low

A company that once printed glossy books for pop stars and popes has suddenly run out of cash. The publisher behind books like a Madonna photo album and a coffee-table edition on Michelangelo’s ceiling told a judge it cannot pay its bills right now. It once got a loan from a tech legend to launch di

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Apr 02 2026FINANCE

Banks are eyeing the betting game: Prediction markets get serious

Big banks smell money in prediction markets—places where people bet on real-world events like election outcomes or sports results. Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan, casually mentioned his firm might jump in, but ruled out betting on sports or politics. Goldman Sachs is already deep in talks with leading

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Apr 02 2026CRIME

New lottery scandal rocks Lexington County after stolen ticket scam

A Lexington County man now faces fraud charges after allegedly swapping a real lottery ticket with a fake one worth $500 back in 2022. The incident came to light when lottery officials noticed something odd about a winning ticket claimed at a local convenience store. Instead of paying out the winner

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Apr 02 2026SPORTS

Get $20 to bet on MLB games with a simple promo code

A new sports betting app wants you to try it out with a free $20 bonus. If you sign up and deposit at least $20 using the promo code WTOP, the money appears instantly in your account. The catch? You have to be in the US and at least 18 years old. The app focuses on predicting game outcomes rather th

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Apr 01 2026FINANCE

CoreWeave Secures Huge Chip‑Backed Loan to Fuel AI Growth

A New Jersey cloud firm, CoreWeave, has pulled in $8. 5 billion from a coalition of banks and investors to expand its data‑center reach. The money is backed by the company’s own GPUs and a contract with Meta that guarantees usage of those chips. The deal is the biggest ever of its kind, using a comb

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