Judge Opinion on Crypto Transfer, Internet Society Joins Partner2Connect, Cable One Invests $950 Million for 10G

May 17, 2022 – A federal judge has released an opinion stating that an American citizen who transferred millions in cryptocurrency to a country blacklisted by the U.S. can be prosecuted by the Department of Justice.

“The Department of Justice can and will criminally prosecute individuals and entities for failure to comply with the [Office of Foreign Assets Control] regulations, including as to virtual currency,” Federal Judge Zia Faruqui said.

The American citizen allegedly sent more than $10 million in bitcoin to a country blacklisted by the U.S. government. It was not reported which, but some of these sanctioned countries include Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Russia.

The judge debunked two crypto myths present in the case: “Issue one: virtual currency is untraceable? WRONG… Issue two: sanctions do not apply to virtual currency? WRONG.”

Internet Society joins Partner2Connect coalition to expand internet access

The non-profit Internet Society announced Tuesday it has partnered with the Partner2Connect Digital Coalition, an alliance led by the International Telecommunications Union that aims to increase connectivity and digital transformation in underserved communities around the world.

“In joining the coalition, the Internet Society is making pledges to support 100 complementary solutions to connect the unconnected, and to train 10,000 people to build and maintain Internet infrastructure, all by 2025,” according to a press release.

“We thank the Internet Society for its contributions to the Partner2Connect Coalition,” Doreen Bogdan-Martin, director of the ITU telecommunication development bureau, said in the release.

“We need more creative connectivity solutions if we are going to connect the unconnected, and the Internet Society’s proven success in growing user communities and skills training makes it a great partner in advancing the Coalition’s goals and empowering communities around the world,” Bogdan-Martin added.

Cable One invests $950 million in network for future 10G

Cable One, a broadband communications provider, said Tuesday it has invested more than $950 million over the past three years to support future connections of 10 Gigabits per second and to extend broadband to underserved areas.

“We are implementing the upgrades needed to our networks in order to deliver multi-Gig symmetrical speeds to our residential customers over the next few years,” Cable One president and CEO Julie Laulis said in a press release. “Our investment strategy ensures our customers have access to a state-of-the-art network designed to handle future technological advances and reflects our deep commitment to addressing digital equity across our footprint.”

Cable One is made up of brands including Sparklight, Fidelity, Hargray, and ValueNet that provide service to more than 1.1 million residential and business customers in 24 states, the release said.