[Manhattan District Attorney Urges New York Lawmakers to Criminalize Unlicensed Crypto Businesses] According to Decrypt, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has urged New York state lawmakers to criminalize unlicensed crypto businesses and called for enhanced enforcement tools to combat crypto-related crimes. Bragg warned that a $51 billion criminal economy is thriving by exploiting regulatory loopholes, enabling criminals to launder proceeds from firearms, drugs, and fraud with impunity. He specifically pointed out that unlicensed crypto ATMs, which charge fees as high as 20% to convert cash into digital assets, are one of the main issues. He advocated for mandatory licensing of all crypto businesses and compliance with Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations, with violators facing criminal liability. If the proposal is passed, New York would become the 19th state in the U.S. to criminalize unlicensed crypto operations.