The crypto market cap rose to $2.43 trillion on February 17, up 0.7% in 24 hours. Bitcoin traded at $68,830.2, Ethereum at $2,001.54, while the Fear and Greed Index stayed at 10, showing extreme fear.
A forensic review of a crypto lobbyist’s phone reportedly uncovered a draft describing a $5 million staged payment plan tied to Libra promotion, renewing scrutiny around Argentine President Javier Milei.
An Argentine federal judge has ordered the identification and freezing of 25 cryptocurrency wallets tied to the LIBRA memecoin case, according to a court document reviewed by Clarín. The wallets were routed through centralized exchanges including Binance, Bybit, OKX, and Bitfinex, and the court is seeking KYC records, IP addresses, transaction histories, and other data that could identify the account holders. The order followed a report from the Cybercrime Technical Department of the Argentine Federal Police, which traced crypto movements across networks beginning in May 2026. One police reconstruction cited by Clarín described a mass outflow on May 10 in which 498,539 USDT was moved through an interoperability protocol to a wallet on the Tron network and then split into 17 transfers. Clarín also cited analyst Fernando Molina, who said about $8.2 million had remained idle before starting to move in May 2026 through the wallets now being targeted. Molina said on X on July 14 that the court order is still only a request and, to his knowledge, exchanges have not yet acted on it, meaning the LIBRA-related funds had not been frozen at that point.
A document discovered on the phone of intermediary Mauricio Novelli reveals a $5 million payment agreement linking Argentine President Javier Milei to the LIBRA token project, involving three installments tied to public endorsements and consulting contracts. Prosecutors consider it key evidence in the ongoing crypto scandal.
Hayden Davis has come under criticism over his perceived role in the memecoin downturn, reigniting debate over whether the sector is community-driven culture or a speculative system that exploits new investors.
Argentine investigators reportedly recovered a draft outlining a $5 million arrangement tied to support for Libra. The document, found on a seized phone, details three staged payments and has intensified scrutiny around the case.
A journalistic investigation reveals that Argentina's President Javier Milei signed an advisor agreement with Kelsier Ventures CEO Hayden Davis, designating Davis as an ad-honorem blockchain and AI advisor, two weeks before the controversial Libra token launch. The nondisclosure clause and Milei's failure to disclose this link deepen his involvement in the $100 million loss scandal.
A newly revealed confidential agreement shows Argentine President Javier Milei signed a consulting contract with Kelsier Ventures CEO Hayden Davis two weeks before the Libra token launch, appointing Davis as blockchain and AI advisor. Lawmakers accuse Milei of lying to Congress and demand court investigation.
