The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has criminally charged four individuals for allegedly running a 'pump and dump' scheme on Telegram, known as the 'ASX Pump and Dump Group.' The accused are charged with market rigging and false trading, accused of inflating Australian stock prices before selling them at a profit. This move is part of a broader effort by Australia's securities regulator to crack down on market manipulation. In addition, ASIC is establishing a new team dedicated to insider trading investigations and has set up a specialized unit to engage with private markets over the next 12 months amid concerns about valuations in the sector.