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AUSTRAC’s AI Transparency Statement commits to using AI responsibly for financial crime detection and to ensure systems are ethical, risk-managed, and compliant with AML/CTF obligations

The statement emphasizes transparency, accountability, and data protection, ensuring AI systems operate ethically and align with legal standards. AUSTRAC highlights key principles such as human oversight, risk management, and maintaining privacy safeguards. The agency also stresses ongoing evaluation to ensure AI tools are fair, effective, and compliant with AML/CTF obligations…

 

FINTRAC releases new guidance and form for reporting terrorist-linked and sanctioned property

The new guidance takes effect on March 2, 2025, for property tied to individuals or entities under the United Nations Act. It extends the existing obligation for property linked to terrorist groups or listed persons under the Criminal Code. From October 1, 2025, it also applies to property connected to entities under the Special Economic Measures Act and the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act…

 

HKMA alerts the public to a press release issued by China Construction Bank (Asia) Corporation Ltd, warning about a fraudulent website and a fake internet banking login screen

The HKMA reminds the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with links directing customers to websites for transactions. Banks will also never request sensitive information like login passwords or One-Time Passwords via phone, email, or SMS. Anyone who has shared personal information or conducted transactions through suspicious websites should contact their bank using details from the press release. They should also report the matter…

AUSTRAC takes action against 13 remittance and digital currency providers for AML non-compliance, including failures to report suspicious transactions

AUSTRAC has stepped up enforcement of AML regulations in these sectors in recent years, with 13 providers targeted recently and more than 50 under scrutiny. The Australian Crypto Taskforce continues monitoring risks in the DCE sector…

 

GI-TOC paper explores the Russia’s Wagner Group and Africa Corps’ post-Prigozhin evolution, focusing on their evolving role in illicit markets, and the implications for African peace and security

Russia’s Africa Corps and Wagner Group remain critical tools in its geopolitical arsenal, combining military intervention, economic exploitation, and political manipulation. Without strategic countermeasures, their continued expansion will destabilise African nations, fuel illicit economies, and challenge global security…

 

ICIJ reports that a Canadian businessman, previously investigated in the Pandora Papers, has been sentenced to a U.S. prison for attempting to conceal over $40 million in cryptocurrency

Patel, founder of Payza, ran a platform that allegedly facilitated criminal activities, including Ponzi schemes and illicit sales. Despite claiming minimal assets during his 2020 sentencing Patel secretly amassed 450 bitcoin in a Binance wallet before moving it to a Blockchain.com account under his father’s name. He later revealed ownership of the funds while filing a legal claim in the UK. Patel had also set up an offshore company during…

GFSC proposes amendments to its Financial Crime Returns Rules, which will make mandatory the filing of periodic returns for accountants, lawyers and estate agents

Key proposed changes, among others, include mandatory annual financial crime risk and prescribed business returns for prescribed businesses, mandatory quarterly financial flows reporting for MSBs, clarifications on reporting requirements for insurance managers, insurers, and incorporated cell companies…

 

Nigeria EFCC charges 53 individuals, 40 of them Chinese nationals in a crackdown on a multinational cybercrime ring linked to Ponzi schemes, crypto fraud, and cyber-terrorism

Authorities have also temporarily seized digital assets worth $222,729, which they claim are proceeds from unlawful activities. According to the EFCC, these assets will be permanently forfeited to the Nigerian government unless challenged by any interested party within 14 days of the court order’s publication in a national newspaper…

HKMA alerts the public to HSBC’s press release warning about fraudulent websites and fake internet banking login screen

The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks’ websites to carry out transactions.  They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or One-Time Password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks)…

Ireland Deputy CB Governor stresses the need for central banks to address evolving financial crime risks, citing the EU’s new AML Regulation aimed at standardising AML efforts across member states

Speaking at the Afore FinTech and Regulation conference, the Deputy Central Bank Governor highlighted that under the new AML package, virtual IBANs linked to other payment accounts must be recorded in national Bank Account Registers to enable law enforcement to trace fund movements effectively…

 

 

Central Bank of the UAE and Dubai Economic Security Centre signs an MoU to strengthen cooperation and information sharing in combating financial crime

This aims to achieve the strategic objectives of both parties, bolster confidence in the UAE’s financial system, and consolidate the country’s leading global position…

CFATF releases Belize’s Mutual Evaluation Report, rating the country Fully Compliant with 38 of the 40 FATF Rec. and Largely Compliant with the remaining 2

Mutual Evaluation finds that Belize has a solid AML/CFT/CPF framework, but notes effectiveness gaps in ML prosecutions and convictions and a need for more robust risk-based supervision of DNFBPs, as well as stronger beneficial ownership verification & on-site inspections…

 

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