
UK SFO Makes Arrests in European Data Center Bribery Probe
Updated on
Save
The Serious Fraud Office has made three arrests and searched multiple properties in England and Monaco as part of an investigation into bribes paid by a construction firm to win a contract to help build a data center for Microsoft Corp.
Former associates of the Mace Group, a London-based construction group, and infrastructure firm Blu-3 are the subjects of the SFO's investigation, according to an announcement on Wednesday. Individuals at Blu-3 are accused of paying over £3 million ($4 million) in bribes to Mace associates to win contracts to help build the data center in the Netherlands.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
Launch Announcement: DOT Miners Fast-Tracks Nasdaq Plans Amid Record User Contract Income
London, UK, July 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bitcoin cloud mining platform DOT Miners officially announced that it is actively preparing for Nasdaq listing. With strong user growth, stable contract income model and international compliance operation capabilities, DOT Miners said it has started internal architecture optimization and audit processes to lay the foundation for listing in the United States. DOT Miners is a technology investment company registered in the UK. It currently provides services to more than 5 million users worldwide. The platform uses a green energy-driven data center and supports global multi-currency mining operations, including mainstream cryptocurrencies such as BTC, ETH, USDT, BNB, XRP, LTC, SOL, etc. Contract drives platform growth and user income is considerable Against the backdrop of volatile market conditions, the cloud mining contracts provided by DOT Miners have become a popular choice for global investors. The platform automatically settles income daily through a transparent contract mechanism and returns all principal after the contract expires. The following are some typical contract examples: Investment: $100 | Cycle: 2 days | Daily income: $3.5 | Expiration income: $100+$7 Investment: $500 | Cycle: 7 days | Daily income: $6 | Expiration income: $500+$42 Investment: $5,100 | Cycle: 33 days | Daily income: $74.46 | Expiration income: $5,100+$2457.18 Investment: $10,000 | Period: 40 days | Daily income: $155 | Expiration income: $10,000+$6200 Investment: $155,000 | Period: 45 days | Daily income: $3255 | Expiration income: $155,000+$146475 Users only need to complete the registration to get a $15 mining bonus, and they can start their profit journey without any technical threshold. Why can DOT Miners approach Nasdaq? Global compliance: The platform is registered in the UK, fully complies with financial regulatory laws and regulations, and operates transparently; Technical scalability: Smart contracts + automated settlement systems can quickly adapt to regulatory market needs; Green infrastructure: European/African mines supported by 100% renewable energy, in line with ESG investment trends; Institutional capital endorsement: Obtained strategic investment from global mining giant Bitmain to enhance capital strength; Strong user growth: The number of global users has exceeded 5 million, and contract activity continues to grow. Future listing prospects DOT Miners said that the company is currently in preliminary consultation with a number of auditing agencies and investment banks on the listing path, including the possibility of listing through traditional IPOs or mergers with SPACs. The platform is also currently upgrading its governance mechanism and financial structure to prepare for the submission of the SEC S-1 application. A spokesperson for DOT Miners said: 'Our goal is not only to become the world's leading cloud mining platform, but also to make the entry point for blockchain value realization transparent, secure and accessible to everyone. Going public is an important step towards a long-term trusted brand.' About DOT Miners DOT Miners is a technology company dedicated to Bitcoin cloud mining. Headquartered in the UK, it provides contractual and automated digital asset mining services. The platform emphasizes environmental protection, compliance and stable returns, and actively participates in digital financial education and inclusive projects to promote the development of global crypto financial infrastructure. Official website address: Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or a trading recommendation. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and may result in loss of funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor. [email protected]


Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
When Millionaires Say They're Leaving—They Almost Never Do
Phil White, a British millionaire poses with a placard reading: "Tax the rich" next to the Congress ... More centre during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 18, 2023. - Tax me and tax people like me urges in an interview with AFP Phil White, a British millionaire present at the Davos forum, believing that wealth inequalities fragment the world. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images) Every time a government proposes ticking up taxes on the wealthy, however modestly, the same rote routine begins: High-net-worth individuals, their accountants in tow, emerge to provide quotes informing the public that, sadly, they will now be forced to flee to some jurisdiction that has no designs on taxing their income. The threat is immediate and existential in scale—they're being driven away like a protected species poached to near extinction. The latest revival of this performance comes courtesy of the United Kingdom, where the government closed a centuries-old tax loophole that let wealthy foreigners reside in the U.K. but insist their income did not. The global rich are now in full performative retreat from London—selling their properties and booking one-way flights to elsewhere. Estate agents lament, tabloids predict doom for the tax base, and everyone seems certain that London's days as a center of commerce are numbered. Across the Atlantic, the same chorus plays in a slightly different accent. In New York, when Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani proposed a millionaire's tax, the upper crust began auditioning for the same role as put-upon wealth creator in search of a steamship to Florida. But here's the thing: they almost never really leave. If they do, it's in such small numbers that the fiscal impact is negligible at worst and, often, positive. We've seen this performance before. U.K Closes a Loophole, Wealthy Pack Their Bags (or Say They Will) In the U.K. the 'non-dom' regime was a tax perk long enjoyed by the ultra-wealthy. It permitted wealthy foreigners to live in Britain without paying tax on overseas income. In effect, it allowed the global elite to buy an address in London and enjoy the related public goods without contributing meaningfully to His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC). All the perks of residency, none of the fiscal responsibility. This spring, the U.K. government finally did the unthinkable and closed the non-dom loophole. The ascendant tax regime was projected to bring in £12.7 billion by 2030. To be fair, some of the beneficiaries of the old regime did seem to start heading for the exits. Several high-profile billionaires moved abroad and real estate sales in the poshest neighborhoods did fall. Anecdotes snap together like magnets and, from there, the narrative accelerates. There is a certain common-sense element to the idea that raising taxes on the wealthy will cause them to leave, so ad-hoc stories are all that is necessary to move many from assumption to certainty—the wealthy are on the move. The same argument was made the last time the U.K. trimmed non-dom benefits, in 2017. Back then, only 2% of the affected group actually left the country. The rest stuck around and paid 50% more in tax. The rich are better at making threats than following them and the media credulously reports on the bluster. Meanwhile, in New York New York faces down its own elite melodrama. Assemblymember and Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist with a preference for policy over donor appeasement, has proposed a state-level millionaire's tax. The reaction was instant. Business leaders issued grave warnings and his opponent conjured up images of a mass exodus to Florida. It seems the mere suggestion that the ultra-rich should pay a few percentage points more toward public transit or housing sends the elites into a private jet fuel-up pantomime. There is precedent in the U.S. to mirror that in the U.K.—when California raised taxes on high earners in 2010, despite opponents warning of an economic death spiral, California's share of the nation's million-dollar earners went up. Today, nearly one in five U.S. millionaires live in the Golden State. The myth of the millionaire on the move is politically useful but empirically bankrupt. Study after study, in Europe, the United States, and elsewhere, tells the same story: millionaires are even less likely to move than the general population. In the U.S. just 2.4% of millionaires move across state lines in a given year—below the national average of 2.9%. And yet, the myth persists—why? Why the Chased-Away Millionaire Myth Persists If the data doesn't support the millionaire migratory narrative, why is it still treated like gospel every time someone proposes a new tax bracket? Because it isn't really about economics—it's about politics. The threat of wealthy flight is a potent rhetorical weapon because it allows opponents of progressive taxation to cloak themselves in a self-serving argument that sounds in fiscal prudence rather than protection of the donor class. Opponents of progressive taxation can assure taxpayers they aren't defending inequality but are instead just exerting common sense policymaking to ensure the budget can be kept intact. It's austerity wrapped in the language of inevitability. The myth also thrives on anecdote. A billionaire leaves London for Dubai, and within the confines of one newspaper article a universe is created where the entire country is hemorrhaging wealth. One hedge fund manager moves to Florida and the lights are flipped off in New York. And yet, for every high-profile departure anecdote splashed across the headlines, there are thousands of high earners doing nothing of the sort. America in particular loves the image of the rugged capitalist jetsetter that can pull up stakes and relocate anywhere. The notion that the ultra-rich are nomads, unattached to place and ready to vanish abroad if offended, reflects the myth of individualism. And yet, it doesn't square with the reality that most wealthy people, like their less well-appointed counterparts, are deeply tied to their communities, industries, and local institutions. The board seat on the local nonprofit or country club doesn't fit in the luggage compartment of a private jet. Nonetheless, the myth will linger. In part because it provides cover, not just for the ultra-rich but also for the lawmakers who fear crossing them and offending their constituents in almost equal measure. The result is a political Pavlovian response where even modest tax reforms come with a side of millionaire exodus think-pieces.


Business Upturn
an hour ago
- Business Upturn
CORRECTION – WLTH Opens Private Markets to Everyone with Launch of Tokenised Fractional Ownership in Hadron Energy
Retail investors gain first-of-its-kind on ‑ chain access to early ‑ stage private equity in nuclear micro ‑ reactors PANAMA CITY, Panama and REDWOOD SHORES, Calif., July 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a release issued under the same headline on July 19, 2025 by Common Wealth, please note that the boilerplate for Hadron Energy was incorrect. The corrected release follows: WLTH, the alternative investments platform operated by Common Wealth ( today announced that it will next week launch its inaugural tokenised private ‑ equity opportunity :: Hadron Energy , a California‑based micro‑modular reactor innovator. The launch is believed to be the first time a blockchain‑native platform offers retail investors worldwide the ability to purchase fractionalised equity tokens in a private company in this manner. Existing initiatives from established asset managers (e.g., Hamilton Lane/Republic) have remain extremely gated, positioning WLTH at the forefront of democratised access to private markets. Market Opportunity & Potential Upside Sector growth: Global micro‑ and small‑modular reactor (SMR) market projected to grow from US$0.65 billion in 2025 to US$8.9 billion by 2037 (19% CAGR) . ( ) Global micro‑ and small‑modular reactor (SMR) market projected to grow from . ( ) Public comparables: Listed peers Oklo and NuScale Power command market caps of approximately US$9.5 billion and US$4.7 billion respectively despite being pre‑commercial. ( , ) Listed peers and command market caps of approximately and respectively despite being pre‑commercial. ( , ) Illustrative exit scenario: If Hadron successfully licenses its first-of-a-kind reactor and secures large power‑purchase agreements, peer benchmarks suggest a potential multi‑billion‑dollar valuation. A retail 'Slice' bought for US$20 today could theoretically be worth US$600–9,000+ under ideal conditions — though returns are not guaranteed and capital is at risk. Investment Highlights Regulatory traction: Hadron Energy was added to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's advanced‑reactor pre‑application list in May 2025, less than a year after inception. Hadron Energy was added to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's advanced‑reactor pre‑application list in May 2025, less than a year after inception. NRC public meeting: On 8 July 2025 , Hadron hosted a hybrid public meeting at NRC Headquarters to outline its accelerated micro‑reactor licensing pathway; presentation materials are available via the NRC's ADAMS public filing system. On , Hadron hosted a hybrid public meeting at NRC Headquarters to outline its accelerated micro‑reactor licensing pathway; presentation materials are available via the NRC's ADAMS public filing system. DOE recognition: Hadron is featured in the Department of Energy's GAIN Advanced Nuclear Directory (June 2025 edition). Hadron is featured in the Department of Energy's GAIN Advanced Nuclear Directory (June 2025 edition). Commercial momentum: $1.8m raised in this round, a further $2.4m committed as of 16 July 2025 , and the company is negotiating with a leading hyperscale cloud provider to deliver hundreds of megawatts of baseload power to data‑centre campuses. $1.8m raised in this round, a further $2.4m committed as of , and the company is negotiating with a leading hyperscale cloud provider to deliver hundreds of megawatts of baseload power to data‑centre campuses. Engineering expansion: Hadron opened an 18,000 sq ft flagship engineering office in Redwood Shores, California, neighbouring Oracle's campus. Quotes 'Today we put a stake in the ground for financial inclusion,' said Jonathan Woolley, Co‑Founder of Common Wealth. 'By lowering the minimum ticket to just $20 , WLTH is giving everyday people the chance to back breakthrough climate ‑ tech that was previously reserved for elite venture and private ‑ equity circles.' Samuel Gibson, Founder & CEO of Hadron Energy, added: 'Within 11 months our design reached the NRC's official registry — a timeline unheard ‑ of in our sector. Partnering with WLTH lets us convert this regulatory momentum into broad ‑ based support, accelerating our mission to deliver carbon ‑ free baseload power.' How the Token Works Structure: Each 'Slice' (immutable on-chain ownership) represents an exact pro‑rata share in all and any liquidity arising from holding the Hadron equity. Each 'Slice' (immutable on-chain ownership) represents an exact pro‑rata share in all and any liquidity arising from holding the Hadron equity. Standard: ERC‑ 721 token. ERC‑ 721 token. Secondary liquidity: Tradable on WLTH's peer‑to‑peer Slice Marketplace (or other NFT platforms such as Opensea). Tradable on WLTH's peer‑to‑peer Slice Marketplace (or other NFT platforms such as Opensea). Minimum investment: USD 20. USD 20. Distributions: Any dividends or exits are paid automatically in USDC (USD equivalent cryptocurrency stable coin) to token holders' wallets. Offering Timeline (2025) Date Milestone 22 July Priority access opens for WLTH Genesis NFT holders and Top 50 stakers 23 July Public sale opens 24 July Allocation finalised, secondary trading enabled Innovation In another first for the industry, the WLTH platform will also allow users to gift this investment—or a portion of their own—to friends and family using only an email address, making a stake in a private company as easy to give as an e-gift card. About WLTH WLTH is an alternative investment platform for the 99%. Using the best of web 2 and 3 to open access to highly gated opportunities across RWA, private equity, venture capital, and crypto income creating strategies. The protocol has undergone multiple smart‑contract audits (Hacken, 2023–24) and has distributed over $1.5 million in community rewards to date. Learn more at . Read about the deal and opportunity here: About Hadron Energy Hadron Energy is a California-based company developing the Hadron Carbon Cell (HCC), a transportable micro-modular reactor. The factory-built system is a light-water reactor using low-enriched uranium to produce 2-10 MW of continuous, carbon-free power. The company is currently engaged in the licensing process with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to bring clean, resilient energy to industrial and government customers. Media Contacts: [email protected] Follow on X to stay up to date: @joincommonwlth Disclaimer: This content is provided by Common Wealth. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. GlobeNewswire does not endorse any content on this page. Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an 'as-is' basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash